Front Line
by solorachi
Summary: The Digimon haven't been active in Shinjuku lately, so peace is thought to last, but when Rika moves to Jiyugoaka with her family after a disaster farewell party mischief is brewing up. Two years and new answers to why are opening up...   Tamers/ Frontier
1. Leaving Shinjuku! Enter Jiyugoaka

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 1: Leaving Shinjuku! Enter Jiyugoaka **

Honestly what is it with guys being such jerks! Each one is an idiot, how was I so blind right from the start? I'd been hanging around with the guys for so long strictly for Digimon matters and now that blasted Takato goes and wrecks everything…he liked Jeri to begin with…what stuffed his mind to blunder out those three words out of his mouth just before I was about to move to Jiyugoaka for the rest of my life. It's like someone whacked him with a mallet and he was forced to say it.

I bet it was just a trick set up by Kazu and Kenta to see how would I react, well their plan worked my brain's all riled up and I have no idea how to react to his words. I guess moving away isn't that bad, that way I won't ever have to see his tender soft face again. There my mind goes again pouring memories of him flushing into my one tracked mind. That light brown hair and his watery crimson eyes, and those bright yellow hideous goggles that just seem to complete his image. Stupid Takato!

_The sun was vivid and looming over everyone's heads as they had all gathered to wish me my farewell. They made it out as if I was leaving like the Digimon had two years ago. Now their back and making it seem like I will never see the group of idiots ever again. The sky was an eternal endless ribbon of happiness that apparently tied and linked us nine tamers together, despite only moving to the next town round and wouldn't take more than fifteen minutes by train over to Jiyugoaka on the Shibuya line. For Pete's sake Jeri and Ryo lived further away. _

_I never went to their school to begin, I don't understand why there making such a big deal. They had forced me to put on a silly dress that had no fashion sense, well my mum was the who suggested the idea to Jeri who spread word to the guys and Kazu and Kenta couldn't resist doing wolf whistles just to make me annoyed. Why was I friends with those two blunder brains to begin with?_

_We all gathered at the usual park by the central fountain made out of mortar stones and the rest barred by forest and that secret hideout Guilmon used to be kept it. Renamon was actually there beside me, but I felt bad having to take out some of my anger on her. It was my way of releasing the bitterness that built up every few minutes in me. I knew Renamon didn't mind, she thought it was better having some form of communication that rather none._

_The blunder brains Kazu and Kenta had been the first to grab me by the hands and jokingly mock me like I was Cinderella in a ball gown about to escort me to my prince. I just wanted to punch their brains out, they even had the sashes and mini trumpets to go with the theme. Why couldn't we do this indoors, instead of out here in public view? I wanted to hurry up and leave before anyone I didn't know saw me._

_As if the day couldn't be any worse Jeri had forced me to get up and dance, somehow the dweebs had figured a way to get portable loud speakers filled with music to play and I was encouraged to dance. What choice did I have? I started off with Jeri and she laughed, I laughed. She was the only partially sane one from everyone here. My hand was next offered to Kenta, I wanted it to end then and there…his joking kissy faces were making me want to barf. God help me!_

_The song had changed to a more upbeat tune and I was given over to Kazu, hopefully this would involve less contact since the song had a more dance techno beat that required moves like Michael Jackson to incorporate with it. Kazu was the perfect one for the song. I just watched laughing brainlessly as he imitated moves failing at the moon walk and pelvis thrust. Maybe if I loosened up a bit I could actually enjoy it._

_My mortal enemy was next, Akiyama Ryo. Every time I see his grinning ugly tanned and blue eyed face I just want to punch it out. It's like since the day we met he's been wanting to crawl up my sleeve and get me to compliment him for something, I wasn't going to and never was I going to._

"_You know you still have time to say something," Ryo suggested planting a smirk on his face._

"_Is your name Maple Syrup? - Well, it damn well should be, you sap!" I shot back, I always had to come up with a good enough insult to get him off my shoulder. I didn't mind Ryo, but he just wasn't my type and someone that tries to humiliate me in front of the others only deserves insults thrown back at him._

_He gave a light chuckle like this was a usual thing for him getting turned down, "You missed your chance Rika."_

"_Did I ever have a chance from the start?" I hinted sarcastically offering an evil smirk of my own as he planted a kiss on my cheek and took me by surprise. He withdrew his head and my face was blistering with red, I hated him for doing that!_

"_What are you doing you idiot!" I was taken on the spot and Kazu and Kenta continued with their useless wolf howls which I vouge now to punch them in the faces at least 100 times before I leave Shinjuku for good. But first I had to punch Ryo out for taking me by surprise. I landed a sucker at his arm and he flinched and only laughed it off._

"_Just because you're moving it doesn't mean you won't be seeing me in the future. It'd be the same distance from my place to __Jiyugoaka. You might be seeing me a lot more," Ryo said with a smile, trying to cover up how stalkerish he sounded. I told him to buzz off before Ryo escorted me to a dance with Henry. He was another boy I had gotten to know over the two year period and he was probably the most level headed of them all. Though his voice could sometimes put you to sleep when it came to declaring something over about peace or fighting._

_His bluish grey eyes stared me in a way knowing he wasn't going to try anything like what Ryo had tried, we had a strictly friendly relationship and I was happy about that. He treated me with respect unlike the other goofballs; I wouldn't have minded dancing like this more as the song changed to something more jazzy. He had his hands one gently placed around my hand and the other on my shoulder I followed and we kept a quiet dance until the end of the song. He smiled and left without a word, did a cat catch his tongue…it was almost awkward the way he was completely quiet…maybe he was hiding something._

_Next up to dance with me were the three young ones, unlike Henry, his younger sister Suzie had double the energy of the gogglehead and his partner Guilmon. Which was ready to give me a headache before I had to leave, the two twins Ai and Mako were rather quiet. I never really spoke to them other than about their partner Impmon. We didn't really dance but rather played a round of ring-a-ring-a-rosie, despite the R&B song playing in the background. It was good since these children were still innocent and wouldn't play any games with my mind. I was just like another older sister to them and I smiled as I watched their giant grins expand._

"_And we all fall down!" Suzie and the twins exclaimed falling to the ground. I sorta just bent down on my knees not wanting to dirty the dress if I took a seat on the dusty floor. I laughed as the the three scurried off…now where was the gogglehead. I needed to dance with him to be able to cut the cake and then get out of this blasted place once and for all. He was nowhere to be found._

_Until I heard a commotion with the partner Digimon that had scurried of on their own on the grassy field to play tag with each other excluding Renamon who was standing confidently beside my mother and grandmother who smiled as they watched me dance like a mature women. It made me slightly embarrassed and turn red as I was waiting eagerly for that goggle head to show up. Then I saw the flash of yellow appear before my eyes. His appearance took me by my breath as Kazu and Kenta had him linked in each arm dragging him forward towards me._

_His face obviously filled with nervousness and blushing fumingly, he was hiding something so I stormed up to him and Kazu and Kenta smirked evilly at each other as they took off leaving the two of us alone. I could also notice Ryo and Henry exchanging glances and smiling heartedly at me. I noticed Jeri also sitting beside Ryo and was waving with a bright smile planted on her face. Something was up. Soon I was face to face with the light haired brunette._

_What game were they playing at, suddenly everyone had taken a seat as well as the Digimon watching as I took the last dance with a coincidental slow song that had been played during our dance. Were they setting us up or something? I flustered red hoping it didn't show on the outside as Takato wasn't eyeing me in the face and looking at the ground. His feet dancing around steadily and his hands lightly placed around my waist. I just noticed he had grown several inches since I had last seen him or just really noticed. _

_I knew what this was going to be worked up to and I braced myself to hold in my reaction once Guilmon blurted out towards the gogglehead, "Tell her Ta-ka-to!"_

_He rushed his face to his red dinosaur partner and mouthed words that looked like 'Shut up' to his partner; he then looked up at my confused face from the corner of his eyes and slowly raised his head. I noticed the colour red creep on his face and it reacted on me as well causing me to fluster for no obvious reason and then he said it. The very three words that would catch any girl in a bind._

"_Rika," He said my name subtly. _

"_What is it goggles?" I raised an eyebrow at his sudden tone._

_He held his head up high and looked me deeply in my eyes, he had never acted this way before it's like someone had replaced the twelve year old crybaby boy I knew with a mature young man. His eyes determined showed how much I hadn't noticed about him, crap why was I thinking like this all of a sudden._

"_I love you!" Takato forged out of his mouth. It seemed like everyone had an idea about this all along and I was the only one left out of this prank or matter whatever it was. Everyone in the background was wolf-whistling, howling or clapping the bottom's off like this was truly a moment in some Disney fairy tale happy ending._

"_Did you set this up as a prank Takato?"Of course my stupid self at that moment hadn't taken it seriously noticing the confident cocky face on Kazu and Ryo – it just had to be a prank right? I was definitely wrong._

_Takato's eyes looked almost watery and he shook his head disagreeing he then lowered his head and repeated his confession once more, "I love you Rika! And I want you to be with me from this day on. I don't care if you're moving!"_

_Words were stuck, I wanted to say something, something to tell him off but no matter how much I forced the words they wouldn't come out. My face was crimson and I could feel the heat pressuring off, everyone could tell I was embarrassed by his confession, it was obvious. But I couldn't accept it myself, at least when Ryo had kissed me on the cheek I was able to shove him away easily, but why is it when Takato says he loves me my body ties into knots and restricts me from speech._

"_Rika…" Takato silently called my name calling me back to reality._

_As soon as speech came back I reacted in a way I totally regret, I knew that I would hurt him, but the frustration and embarrassment I had suffered had taken over and my mouth practically moved on its own._

"_You idiot! Those morons put you up to it to do that!" I blurted out of frustration, "Get out of my face, goggle head!"_

_He was taken aback by my response, his hands up squirming not knowing how to react to my aggression soon there were appalled and worried faces in the background. Jeri had her hands to her mouth looking as depressed as she was when the D-Reaper got to her, Ryo gave me an eye saying that I had gone too far and the pair of goons stared at me like their prank had gone wrong. I soon realised later this was no prank at all. If I knew that I would be hating myself for that in the future I wouldn't have said anything like that to the fragile heart of his. It took him a whole two years to grow that confidence and I had just crushed it in a second._

"_Rika…" I heard Rika telepathically whisper into my mind. I ignored any response from anyone. I ripped the ribbon that had tied my hair letting my shoulder length red hair fall to my shoulders and turned heel and ran away like there was no tomorrow._

_I didn't have the dignity to look back all around my surroundings until I ran to the delivery truck that would be taking us to our new location. I just wanted to move on my own and not suffer the talks from my mother or grandmother._

Before my eyes were several cars and I was in the back seat sitting as my mother's driver ushered us to our destination, with grandma in the front passenger seat and my mother left to sit next to me in the rear I was a little peeved and still needed to let off steam. Renamon was patiently waiting on top of the truck until our stop off.

"Are you sure it was smart to leave things like that?" My mother asked avoiding direct eye contact but looking at my depressed face cuffed by my hand as I leant on the side railing of the truck door through the rear view mirror in the front.

I let out a groan showing I wasn't in the mood to talk and moved my eyes to the ground to gaze at my white and red sneakers. When was this ride going to be over, the air was getting tense and I was feeling nausea, I needed fresh air as soon as possible otherwise my family won't be the only ones depressed after the eventful today. The driver would have to suffer the smell of puke if he didn't hurry.

My mother let me be and I was forced to endure another thirty minutes worth of road before we were finally allowed to exit the vehicle stopping before our new suburban home in Jiyugoaka. It was a quiet neighbourhood and we had noticed a few children on the streets playing a game of soccer, but I kept my mouth shut about their unsafe activity and let them and myself be. I was now standing before our less Japanese styled home, it was westernised and would take some time getting used to. It wouldn't be bad having a nice and comfy bed to sleep on. That was one thing I was grateful with my mum's job, even when she wasn't working she was paid.

I took my light luggage in not wanting to deal with the heavy boxes of secured items and let the driver bring in our stuff. It was a double storied building and I was getting my own separate room on a different level from my family. How amazing was this, forgetting the Takato incident momentarily I was excited about the future of this place. Renamon had taken the back door approach and surprised me when she appeared at the end of the hallway of the upstairs floor. There was a corridor that stretched pretty far with several white doors offered from the walls. I scanned the rooms briefly and finally settled in one that had a nice sun roof and balcony that I would be able to get a good supply of air from. No furniture was assembled yet so I had to settle sitting on the wooden timber floors for the time being. I couldn't help wonder who had been living in this house before we moved here.

"It's as big as the other house, but seems so much cosier for some reason," I muttered to myself.

Renamon was scouting around the house as well leaving her mark on the area of land to make sure it was safe and far off from any other Digimon's territory. I wanted to tell her that it was alright and no large dinosaur Digimon would be coming to rampage the city. As a matter of fact there hadn't been a digimon trying to materialise in this world since the Parasimon incident. A shiver was sent down my spine at the thought of one of those things having taken control of me at one stage…and depressingly had to be saved by goggle boy.

An hour had at least passed by as I came down the stairs to check up on the status of the house. It seemed like all the boxes had been transferred into the house and that the next week would be spent unpacking stuff that I really couldn't be bothered for. It was annoying the first time putting things in the boxes. Luckily I only had a limited amount of stuff.

Mum was in the living room with grandma and in that short time had already created some tea to celebrate the official moving into the new house. I rolled my eyes at the traditions my grandmother tried to imprint on me, but it was useless and I was about to go for a walk until I heard the doorbell ring. I assumed the truck driver had already left and wondered who could be greeting us at a time like this, somewhere between dusk and the verge of evening.

Saving the effort for my mother or grandmother to get up I answered the door, a lot different compared to the sliding paper and wooden doors we had back in the old home. In my face were a complete set of strangers, were these perhaps neighbours greeting us for moving into the neighbourhood? They had bearing grins I assumed I was correct unless they were just a family of people who tried to offer you annoying phone plans…that was highly unlikely though. I sighed and noticed there were four guests altogether which seemed to make up a whole family. A mother who looked quite pretty with a short bob light brown haircut and auburn eyes as she warmly smiled and who I assumed was her husband standing beside her. I would've assumed she could have done better with his long dark brown tied up hair and his equal greeting smile to his wife. My eyes were then stolen at the two children beside them. One young boy probably around the same age as Suzie maybe slightly older who had a big corny grin on his face that I just wanted to punch out, he was white like his mother but had the same dark eyes as his father.

His hands were behind his back also slightly nervous I was receiving mixed signals and then felt the tension of the older boy behind him. He was on the lower step of the porch so I hadn't noticed him as easily as the three in front. He seemed a lot different from the rest of his family with one hand pressed to the side of his body and the other holding a soccer ball and a partial scowl on his face still not having realised that I had answered the door either ignorant or clueless. He had a pair of black and white sneakers, white ankle socks, long black trousers, and a big maroon monkey jumper that seemed too big for his body complete with a light khaki coloured hat turned to the back, the thing that made me almost hurl was the sight of the big squarish goggles around his hat.

What was this world trying to do, when I thought I had gotten rid of one goggle head I get given another, was this some lame fashion trend for young boys or something? But I had to say the sight of the goggles reminded me of Takato's and a light blush crept on to my face, why couldn't I hide it when I wanted it to. I noticed his tanned skin that had been taken from his dad and his auburn eyes as he finally looked my way. His sudden movement made me lightly jump and then ask, "What are you here for?"

"Rika! That's no way to talk to guests!" My mother scolded, but was then easily distracted as she had gotten out of her seat along with my grandmother to see the new guests. Happy to see some bright faces rather than the gloomy one I filled the house with, she encouraged me to greet the new guests by placing an arm on my back and pushing me forward. That only made me crankier as I nearly stacked it on the way out which would have been really humiliating.

"Welcome, is there anything we can help you with?" My mum asked politely ignoring my feelings completely.

I could only sigh and then stared at the children and focusing on the soccer ball in the older one's arm, it came to thought that the two children had been the ones that had been playing soccer on the road. Thinking about a lecture or two about safety on the road and then was sidetracked when my digivice started rapidly beeping. It was attached to the back of my belt as usual in its allocated pocket. My eyes lit up with surprise as I had to get out straight away and find the Digimon that was about to materialize…though I picked up on the slight tone change rather than the usual three beep sequence that signified a Digimon's appearance.

As I turned away I caught the sound of another similar beeping digivice from one of the guests, not having enough time to ask who it was coming from I ran and left through the back exit. It seemed Renamon had also picked up on the scent of a Digimon nearby as she was waiting on the aluminium fence that guarded the average sized courtyard in the backyard.

"Renamon!"

"I'm here Rika," Renamon confirmed with her narrow pointed head looking up and eyes closed deep in concentration, she popped them open after picking up on the accurate signal, "It's appearing nearby, approximately two streets away."

"I don't find that a coincidence…" I muttered before manoeuvring to the narrow side of the house to leave and squeezed my way through sneaking past the front door and my family. When out of sight and running comfortably down the road I pulled out my digivice and noticed there were two separate flashes of colour rapidly and consecutively flashing from green to red, what the heck was going on? Steering around the corner Renamon travelling on the households leading me in pursuit of the Digimon, we came round to the fork in the road that bound the coordinates for the digimon to materialize. I noticed the fog and pulled out the sunglasses from my back pocket for protection and walked in ahead.

My tall yellow fox partner now by my side and keeping a keen alert on whatever Digimon was lurking through the thick fog. I took off my glasses when I felt the all clear and looked down at my D-Power to analyse the Digimon. Renamon was still looking around so the odds of picking up on something were low.

Eagerly waiting, I was given warning when a chill was sent down my spine, something was different about this materialisation and Renamon hadn't noticed too much later when we felt the whole shake below out feet. Renamon quickly secured me with her arms and hopped away from where the floor had started to crumble from below our feet. What powerful Digimon was trying to make its way into the Human World?

Renamon dropped me when she felt it was safe, I glanced over at my partner and asked, "You think it's time to take it to champion level?"

She nodded and I pulled the blue evolution card from my card pocket off my belt and slashed it in my digivice initiating Renamon's departure and Kyubimon's appearance. Out of a burst of electrical waves and smoke Kyubimon stepped and gestured for me to climb on to her back. The four legged yellow nine tailed fox announced, "It's coming!"

With her natural dodging instincts she jumped out of the way and avoided the swish of a large reptilian red tail with a golden charm tailing at the end of it. It disappeared amongst the thick fog and I was left to wonder when the Digimon would next strike. Attending my attention back at my digivice there was a quick flash of that unusual bright green and then the popping up of the Digimon that had made its way through the Digital Stream to enter the human world for some unknown reason.

It took a few minor seconds before the image of the creature downloaded and revealed a large bodied digimon covered in blazing red fur and jagged stripes running from its countered white snout tipped with a sharp curved horn travelling down his long white maned neck, masculine four legged body and ending at the twisted tail of it. It had four spikes placed on his neck which blended in with the two pairs of wings on its back, the front being a larger and fiercer looking pair than the smaller ones in the rear.

"DoruGreymon, Ultimate Level, Animal Type Digimon. It's attacks Bloody Tower skewering its opponent to its death…that doesn't sound pleasant and it's more powerful attack Metal Meteor," I read aloud for Kyubimon to take the information to mind and plan a strategy, but what I was curious about was the fact we hadn't had to face off an ultimate level for quite some time. This would require one more step in evolution if we couldn't handle this fight with modify cards.

"It won't be a quick battle, are you ready to go in Rika?" Kyubimon stared at me from the corner of her eyes awaiting my command for advancing. I nodded and she ran off into the mist.

I gripped tightly unsure how this opponent would face off, hearing the piercing screech of a destructive dragon digimon alerted our minds to be extra cautious. There was still no sign of even the slightest bit of the Digimon's silhouette, it was as if he could turn in invisible or was travelling really quickly. Concentrated in battle and thinking about the consequences, if this fight wasn't going to begin soon that someone would be bound to spot us at any moment.

Out of nowhere the white tipped snout head of DoruGreymon ripped through the fog almost at the speed of light with its intimidating horn and tackled Kyubimon from the side, it resulted in me gripping for my life on the red and white candy cane resembling bow around Kyubimon's neck. She finally came to a halt and found myself loose grip from the sudden stop and rolled on to the cement flooring below. For just a tackle, it was really powerful.

Since I hadn't been the one to be directly attacked I got up to accompany Kyubimon, she looked at me determinedly with a stay-back-and-that-I'm-going-in-alone face, and informed me, "Rika it's too dangerous, that tackle alone was enough to send us flying. I'll take it from here."

I was worried for her safety, but having me there to protect during the fight as well would be more hazardous so the best option was to stay on the sideline. There had to be away to clear out this fog, I pulled out the couple of cards I had packed in my pocket and spaced them out with my palm analysing my limited options. The perfect card came into view as I returned the rest and slashed the modify card on the side of my blue D-Power.

"Kyubimon this should do the trick!"

"Garudamon, Shadow Wing!"

The power transferred over and an orange like aura began to glow around Kyubimon, she retracted her muscles and jumped into the air, leaping and spinning in a circular motion as she came to a landing with the attack having taken off in the air. The bird shaped attack flew through the fog cutting through and giving a clear view of the beast, now even angrier that his cover was blown staring at us with his piercing yellow eyes. I got the same feel of whenever I saw Guilmon had sensed a Digimon.

It would have been nice if the attack had struck the ultimate level, but not doing so didn't affect me too much. It only meant Kyubimon had the permission to give it all she got.

"Go for it Kyubimon!" I cheered as she ran into battle.

With cards ready at dispense I watched the battle undergo, Kyubimon started off by circling the large beast slowing him down in following her swift movements. Once given an opening she jumped into the air like she had done previously and spun really fast in the air causing the flames on her body to erupt in a fiery inferno, her body now a ball of swirling blue fire, "Dragon Wheel!" She yelled out as a dragon head appeared and targeted DoruGreymon.

Looking like it was critical only proved to dissolve as it came into contact with the fur on the beast, nothing catching on fire and no damage dealt. I was left to clench my teeth as Kyubimon's most powerful attack was a failure, not only disappointed by leaving a boy without an answer to his confession, but also in the attacks my partner was sending that had no effect.

"Try an attack one more time!" I alerted, with the distance she heard clearly and raised the nine tails as the balls of blue fire grew larger in size and were launched at the opponent. This ended in the same result as her previous attack only annoying DoruGreymon even more.

His turn to attack he lifted a paw and stomped at where Kyubimon had been before evading the heavy foot. Luckily for the yellow fox that his speed wasn't doing him justice and her speed was superior. Proving to be a bigger nuisance the red dragon whipped his tail in time and struck Kyubimon without her noticing.

"Kyubimon!"

She had been hurled into a wall as if left to rot. I ran to her aid and knelt down on one knee and lifted her head close to my chest, "Are you alright?"

My partner blinked her eyes confirming her conscious was with her and she wasn't going anywhere, "Do you think you can try once more digivolving to Taomon?"

Kyubimon paused for a moment and then suddenly widened her eyes like she saw a ghost, the meaning behind it was suddenly explained when she tried her best to shove me away but failed to do so and DoruGreymon's strong build tail came hurling at the both of us, this time I had been directly attacked. I noticed Kyubimon get thrown into a wall forced to de-digivolve back to Renamon while I fell my body still flying. There was definitely internal bleeding and it felt like my bones had been broken into thousands of pieces.

As much as I wanted to affirm my partner's safety I don't think I could hang on to my conscious self much longer. My eyelids too heavy to lift anymore I fell to the darkness. My nerves still feeling as I landed into something with a warm build body which soothed my pain a little and collapsed to the unknown figure that had caught me boldly in its arms.

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To be continued…

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So a new story I've had on my mind for awhile now, a crossover between tamers and frontier if you haven't noticed the counteraction between Rika and her definition of another goggle head in her new neighbourhood. I'll be reacting through different digidestined POV's later on, but for the first few chapters will be entitled to Rika.

As you can see from the first few paragraphs that the story will have its obvious romance trait, but won't be the main focus of it of course, I'll be sure to bring in a lot of action later on, but until then make sure to review and stay tuned for updates, and any questions you have I'll be sure to answer them to the extent that I can.


	2. The Brat and the Brother

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 2: The Brat and the Brother**

A warm body coursed through my mind as I woke up the very next morning, I was still alive surprisingly. Wasn't I one who lived for the thrill – sigh -…who am I kidding I can be one to drive people to their ends sometimes. I wonder how Takato is doing now…and what the others think of me, they're probably all celebrating that me and my attitude are away from them. The one who'll only probably miss me is Ryo, but I couldn't give a damn about him. I'm always so harsh on myself and others…

I opened my eyes that morning to the shuffling of blinds and my body placed on a warm and soft bed, a black and white spotted cow patterned blanket wrapping my body tightly and a ceiling fan above my head spinning on a slow speed, I don't recall that being in the bedroom I chose, if this was my bedroom. There was no bed, or horizontal blinds attached to the windows before. Knowing my unknown whereabouts I quickly sat up and looked around, I noticed none other than my grandma pulling down the blinds with the vertical chord.

"You've been out almost for a good two thirds of today…it's almost sunset," my grandma gently spoke picking up on a hint of worry. I wondered why her eyebrows were slightly furrowed.

She walked over by bedside and got awkwardly family close to me and patted my head like I had missed out a whole lot. Before I knew it my head was being pulled into her chest with her gentle hands meant to be calming me.

"Grandma?" I gasped cringing at the pain I felt when I talked. The pain was coming around my gut.

Everything was crawling back into my mind, the fight with DoruGreymon wasn't a dream, Renamon got her but kicked so easily and I was also hit for the first time in a battle. That bastard is going to pay for it…but wait if I went out then who stopped the Digimon…I remember I landed into something soft yet sturdy and warm before collapsing. It hurt as well trying to remember what happened after recalling on my senses at the moment.

"Who stopped the Digimon?" I refrained from yelping out pain and quickly asked the important question.

"Digimon?" Grandma replied a little confused, "Oh yeah, that's right. I heard from Renamon there was a Digimon battle but she doesn't remember anything about it afterwards. Everything seemed to be handled by something or someone so you can go back to rest if you like or I can bring you something to eat."

Someone took care of the Digimon, but who? It wouldn't have been anyone from Shinjuku…I wanted to find out, but my stomach came first apparently as I placed my hand lightly over my empty belly knowing if I wasn't bearing pain my stomach would be giving me hell.

"Some food would be good." I muttered before my grandma released me from her grasp and stood up to walk but stopping at the door and turning around and asking.

"We've only got pasta and some veggies for now, so I hope you're alright with that." She heartedly smiled and then left the room.

Now that I'm by myself for at least another ten minutes, I called out for my partner "Renamon!" And then fell into my heavenly soft pillow sinking into it before it fluffed back up and I felt Renamon's presence in the room. It was always so convenient having her appear silently unlike it would be having Guilmon as a partner destroying half the house before coming to my command. I laughed a little at the idea and then it lead me again to think about Takato and I snuffed to my own thoughts.

Renamon raised her head curious to my noise making and asked, "Rika? Is something wrong?"

Forced to sit up to speak with Renamon respectively I slipped away from heaven and leaned by back against the headboard of the bed and turned my head to the yellow fox.

"I just want to know what happened after that Digimon battle. Are you sure you can't recall who handled the fight? I imagine it wasn't any of the tamers…"

Renamon nodded knowing already what I was going to say, it could get a little annoying sometimes assuming they would listen through the whole statement and then respond but Renamon was always one step ahead and read into your thoughts as easy as counting sheep.

"The only thing I can recall before going out, was a blur of yellow and red. I can't remember anything else. Sorry for disappointing you," Renamon responded, I felt a little vulnerable her having to apologise for something she wasn't in control of.

"It's alright," I surprisingly replied comforting her, "I'm just curious, grandma is going to bring back food soon so if you want you can stay."

Renamon was surprised by my gesture, whenever I ate in the old house she usually respected me to leave my family and I to eat dinner in peace before appearing, "I can tell your hungry as well Renamon," I cockily gestured before turning my head to the side. Cursing inside hating how my mouth sometimes spoke on its own will.

"Rika…" Renamon gasped.

I tried to change the fact that I had done a nice thing for a change of pace and asked, "Do you know how I got back into my bed Renamon?"

"Well I woke up after the fight to find myself by your side leaning against the front door of your house…someone must have put us there. Though I can't imagine who'd be able to," Renamon responded picking up on leaving the good deed of Rika behind them for now.

"That's so odd…who finished off that strong DoruGreymon and put us in front of the house…it's not possible for it be any of the tamers. We already crossed them off the list and then that leaves nothing to work from…wait hold on," Rika came to a halt and had an instant flashback of the moment before running to search for the Digimon.

"What is it Rika?" Renamon reacted to her sudden stop in words.

Rika bit her thumb nail and then groaned, speaking away madly, "When my digivice started beeping for DoruGreymon, I heard another beep go off at the same time but I couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from since I had to leave in such a rush. But I know it was coming from one of the people that visited."

"Are you saying it's possible there are other tamers in Jiyugoaka as well?" Renamon theorised.

"Who knows? It might be the reason why not many Digimon had been rampaging in Shinjuku anymore," Rika said before there was a knock on the door and Rika's grandma appeared at the door carrying a wooden tray with a bowl of pasta like Rika assumed. She walked in noticing Renamon hidden in the side and offered a kind smile before placing the food on my lap. It was warm and felt good against my stomach reducing the pain a little.

Then my grandma surprised me when she spoke, "Enjoy your food Rika, and Renamon are you hurt anywhere after your battle? I was able to check Rika, but it seems you disappeared before I could get to you."

Renamon bowed her head out of respect and I noticed her not coverable embarrassment. I had to hold back a bit of a laugh.

"I'm alright and thank you for the concern."

My partner responded giving a signal for my thoughtful grandma to bow her head and leave flashing me a you-better-eat-the-food-look-otherwise-you'll-be-going-without-dinner look before she was completely out of sign.

The way grandma reacts to everything you would assume she was my mother, what can you do? My mind being a little distracted by the attractive aroma I looked down at the pasta and decided to pick up the chopsticks behind and eat away. The first bite was almost mouth watering, I could taste so many herbs and the stock from the vegetables my grandma used it to cook with. Compliments to grandma!

Once I was about half way into my bowl I expressed my gratitude and noticed the almost invisible pair of second chopsticks hiding behind the bowl. Grandma already knew my intention and thought first, the second pair was for Renamon. So having my share I muttered, "Here you can have the rest."

"Thank you Rika."

I forced my arms to pick up the tray and Renamon walked over grabbing the sides off of me and walking back to the corner of the room where she originally was and crossed her legs sliding down the wall and sitting with the tray balanced on her knees. She pressed her paws together whispered something and then picked up her pair of chopsticks and dug away. I couldn't help but smile and let her eat in peace while I rested my head on the bed frame and closed my eyes.

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The next morning I awoke to find my neck not stiffened by the pose I was sleeping in and my head comfortably resting on the pillow before my eyes had to adjust to the light creeping into the room. It was a faint light.

The blind hadn't been closed over night, so the first rays of the morning sun printed on the walls as I pushed myself up and stretched my muscles. I hadn't moved out of my bed for a whole day, this was going to suck when I finally decided to get out. I could feel my numb bottom and legs…staying in a pair of dark blue skinny jeans was not the healthiest thing.

Sitting up I shuffled my body to the side so my legs were handing over the mattress and noticed Renamon asleep leaning against a newly furbished chestnut drawer. Where was all this furniture appearing from, was my family working on the furniture down stairs during my sleep…who carried the bed and drawer all the way up here. Mum and grandma couldn't have done it on their own…might have been one of the neighbours. I wonder if it was possible to talk your neighbours to do your homework for you.

I got off track easily shaking my head, the sudden movement forced me to grit my teeth and the ache in my stomach. Speaking of which I hadn't even cared to look at my injury yet, I lifted my baggy cream shirt up to see a large bruise on my abdomen, the pain somehow increased when I almost puked looking at it. It was going to take at least two weeks to heal up…dumb DoruGreymon. Hopefully I can walk though…

I pushed myself off the bed and almost fell front forward if it hadn't been for my hands to support my almost face plant. My legs were unbelievably dead, I rotated to have myself sitting on my bottom on the wooden floor and whacked my legs back awake, "Work you damn things!"

Renamon jumped to the sound as if it were an enemy Digimon and called for my safety, "Rika!"

"R-Renamon…" I stuttered surprised by her name calling and then snuffed my head trying to cover the fact she scared me, "Don't worry I was trying to get up."

Renamon remained silently and seeing me struggle she offered me a paw getting up and I was able to balance on my leg holding on to her arms, I felt the blood rushing back into my legs and tingling. Usually after the tingling took place there were the leg cramps. I prepared for the worst and tried to move my legs as much as I could to reduce the pain.

The cramps finally settled down and I was able to let go of Renamon walking outside the room without a word.

"Where do you plan on going Rika so early?" Renamon questioned following me out the door.

I turned on my heel and replied, "Just for a walk."

Turning back and heading for the downstairs, I didn't really care if mum or grandma were worried that I wasn't there in the morning I only wanted to go for a walk around the neighbourhood…I hadn't had much of a chance. I came to the front door and despite the westernised house; it had a pitch below the main level where shoes were meant to be taken off before entering. I slipped on my outgoing sneakers and left home for a walk.

Hands tucked away into my pockets with my thumbs and pinkies poking out of the tight bind. It was a little chilly for the morning it being Spring and marking that April 1st was only two days away and I'd be beginning school at Jiyugoaka Gakuen High School bringing my arms closer against my body to keep the warmth. I walked down my street into a small alleyway; this would be helpful during Digimon materialisations – I have to tell this to Renamon I thought. Thoroughly scanning the place for anything useful later on I mantled on to the fact this neighbourhood wasn't too different from my previous one. Over the fences that belonged to homes you could notice the tall cherry blooming trees looking like fairy floss against the dull blue lighting up sky.

"This place is so boring…" I commented under my breath.

Just then at the end of the alleyway I noticed a little boy running excitedly as if were on a sugar rush through the alleyway. Perhaps he was playing tag as another young boy came running following after and this one recognised after some thought as the younger son of the family that greeted us yesterday, I hadn't got their names down. The first boy with darker brown hair and emerald eyes and a large oversized light green cap over his head as he rushed past me nearly tackling into me if I hadn't dived away in time, but the second boy caught me off guard when his collided head on with me. MOTHER******!

Darn kid, that's going to cost me another bruise; I pressured my hands on to my forehead trying to decrease the throbbing pain. I could feel it beginning to shape into a lump that would be sticking off my head in an hour's time.

"Do you not watch where you're going?" I yelled at him, and this time I had a right to be cranky.

After moving the hands from my face the little boy had just moved his hands as well, but it seemed my head whacked his cheek and hurt him more. Served him right for being up so early…I just wanted a peaceful walk to reduce the strain on my abdominal muscles and I get a head collision in return, the world's been out to get me the past two days hasn't it?

"I'm sorry!" The boy panic-strikingly apologised to me while his friend came to by my side and grabbed one of my arms while the injured boy grabbed my other and they pulled me up without my certification. I almost stumbled by the sudden strength boosting me up. It also stung a little with the rush pounding on my head. My hand still placed on my sore I looked back at the kid with an angry glare.

Once he got a clear shot of my face he pointed his index finger at me, "You're the girl whose house we visited yesterday. The new people that moved in to the street, but you suddenly took off without even a greeting."

"And you're the boy who doesn't watch where he's going," I retorted.

"I said I was sorry…" he bitterly answered back opposing the tone I gave him.

"Boys are so stupid…" I hated under my words, the memory of Takato still coursing through my mind and the faces of Kazu, Kenta, Henry and Ryo.

The injured boy poked out his tongue to me, "Typical maturity of a two year old."

"I'm ten years old, old lady!" the brat threw back at me.

I gave him one glance and came up with, "Those teeth of yours seem to be rotting away, are you sure you're not the old lady here. You have the right short height for being one."

He gritted his teeth and was about to fly a fist at me which I would easily be able to dodge when the boy beside him grabbed his arm and stopped him. At least that kid had the brains to withdraw when he knew his friend was losing the argument.

"We'd better hurry if we don't want Takuya to find us," the green eyed brunette whispered into the other boy's ear reminding him of the purpose they were running in the first place.

"Another old man to join your knitting club," I smirked before about to walk off when the young annoyed boy grabbed my arm stopping me. I raised an eyebrow to his pointless confidence and gave him a death stare that forced him to rethink his decision and let me go.

"You're…you're so stuck up!" He shouted back with a wavering tone.

"What's new kid?" I gestured before giving a sarcastic wave and leaving them in my dust. What a tiresome boy I groaned. Turning the corner I lightly tapped my forming lump and vowed revenge if I ever spotted that kid again alone for giving me such an annoying migraine.

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Returning from my walk I had calmed down after the incident and returned in the same alleyway I had started the walk on, after an hour I had got a good idea of the neighbourhood landscape. It was a pretty hilly ground, and learnt routes that I could avoid those hilly streets through a couple shortcuts and involved more narrow streets and back alleyways…not the safest option, but I hated hills.

Hoping to return home in peace I noticed in my home street the two little boys I bumped into earlier playing a game of soccer with another older than them. He was the older brother of the one I hated to bits right now. I laughed how he thought he stood a chance against me, note to self remember to lower the confidence of that boy next time we meet after I have me revenge on him. Nothing against the older brother just yet, but I knew that it wouldn't be long before he spotted me and tell me off for treating his younger brother so rudely.

Instead it was the one who tried to stop fight earlier who spotted me, his eyes having a strive of fear in them as he quickly avoided his head pretending he hadn't seen me. Then I noticed him get closer to his mate and whisper something, it was obviously about my return. The game suddenly stopped and the older boy of the three gestured hands in a confused way wondering why they stopped the game of street soccer so suddenly.

The brat turned around and pointed at me, I felt no different, but then the older brother turned around and raised an eyebrow and then burst out into laughter. What the hell was he laughing at?

A part of me wanted to slap them silly and force out them what they were talking about, but the other part suggested for me to ignore them and walk towards my house, but to get to my house I obviously had to cross by their game…I sighed heavily and with my hands in my pocket and head lowered I walked as far as possible from their game sticking to the kerb.

They had stopped playing and I could feel their eyes staring at me, some new start to a new neighbourhood, I already had enemies.

"Hey you!"

The eldest boy yelled trying to grab my attention. I ignored and continued to walk.

"It's because she's an old lady she can't hear you," the brat commented. As much as he thought he was in the superior position, I laughed at the thought at how easy it was to pummel him. I looked up and smirked.

"You're going to have to improve on your insults if you want my attention old man."

He gritted his teeth and turned red, I was actually enjoying this.

"What's your problem girl, why are you picking on my little brother?" The older one tried to act mature.

"He's the blind numbskull who ran into my head and caused a lump…don't tell me off tell your brat of a brother," I replied hoping he would leave me alone right now. I so just wanted to call Renamon and have her pulverise each one of them.

"That's no way to talk, despite how idiotic Shinya can be," the older brunette defended and insulted simultaneously.

"It isn't my business gogglehead," I shot at him, "And plus those goggles do not look cool."

He took offense like those goggles were his baby or something and snapped, "That's it, once you insult the goggles, it's like your insulting my whole family."

I said something bad, and totally regretted insulting something so stupid…just kidding. I wanted to see what this boy could throw at me; I had never sparred with a boy unless you consider those squirmy two Kenta and Kazu boys.

"I can take you on," I replied only angering the boy and worrying the darker haired that didn't look related to the brothers.

His fists ready to bump, he pretended to swing a fist at my head as I dodged and aimed to karate chop his gut when his free hand reacted quickly and stopped it in its path. He had skill and an open eye which I didn't ignorantly not acknowledge, with my own free hand I landed an uppercut to his shoulder, but he only smirked and commented.

"Girls shouldn't be fighting."

"Show's what you know brunette," I snapped back.

"I have a name you know," he responded with a cheesy grin on his face.

His position locking both my hands now and both of us stalemate in the very short fight. I was not in the mood to lose to some goggle wearing boy. If it weren't for my body restricting me I would have landed a kick to him, but my gut wasn't going to allow me to lift my leg.

Pushing some extra strength against his arm that held back my karate chop I took it back and turned it into a closed fist, "And so do I…but as you can see I really don't care." With that I struck for his face and landed a perfect and direct punch his cheek, he would be matching his brother by tomorrow morning.

"Not bad," He slowed down trying to resolve things, but easily an excuse to say he had lost, "If you weren't a girl I would have sent a punch at you. You've either got guts or are just completely crazy picking a fight with a pair of ten year olds…there obviously younger than you and don't have the brain capacity to come up with reasonable insults. So lay off them, if he apologised then you should just forgive him."

I relaxed surprisingly at his words; I caught the wind blowing his wild brown hair as I lowered my fists beside me. Controlling my fists as best as I could, I refrained from returning an insult at the brat and his peacemaker friend. The older brother wasn't as immature as I thought, but I still considered him annoying wearing goggles and being related to the boy called Shinya but I was always happy to refer to him as 'brat'.

"If he ever bumps into me again, I won't promise he'll be alive," The boy gulped at my words, after seeing the fight against his brother why wouldn't he be afraid of a girl that could send him flying through his house, "But for now I'll leave him alone."

The older brunette smiled like he had accomplished a life mission of seeing the good in someone, this was only one of the rare moments where I picked up on when I was wrong in my doing and reflected on it ignorantly, "That's better, now I won't have to babysit him wherever he goes."

I smirked at his insult to his brother who crossed his arms like the baby he was.

"Anywho, want to join us for a game of soccer? It might be good to have some actual competition," the boy joked receiving evil glares from the two younger boys.

"Hey!" the green eyed boy baffled.

"Look at Takuya trying to show off, just five minutes ago you said we were improving and almost at your level," the brat explained. Despite hardly knowing the goggle head and his bratty brother I hardly understood why I lightly blushed at his statement.

"I am not showing off, I said you two improved, but you two are still not that good. Sort of like between beginner and novice. No hard feelings guys." I assumed who was Takuya from the blackmailing of brother rivalry explained back maturely.

"Catch you hobos later," I gave my signature two finger salute and left without another word until Takuya stopped me and casually introduced himself.

"What's your name redhead?" He cheekily smiled wondering how I'd react to his name calling, it was a fail and I merely scowled.

"The name's Rika, and yours?"

"Takuya Kanbara."

1010101010101010101010

To be continued…


	3. The Serious Boy Koji

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 3: The Serious Boy Koji**

How could I miss the lousy alarm, I even had it set thirty minutes before 8:00am so I could get up, get dressed, grab a quick snack and leave without out much socialisation with my family? Now I find myself with only fifteen minutes to the bell for my first day of the new school Jiyugoaka Gakuen High School. It's one of those joined middle and high schools, boy wouldn't that be fun…I have to make sure to keep my mouth shut towards upperclassmen, but I was surely going to get told off by one anyway. Hopefully they could go easy on someone new to the school…

I slid black Velcro strap leather shoes and raced out the door almost having collided head first if it weren't for me being sensitive about the lump on my head and reacting with my hands to open the door first. I leaped the double step that lead up to the porch and out the front yard, at least I didn't have to chat to anyone this morning other than the 'Good Morning' to Renamon and Grandma. Mum seemed to already have left for work and left a message that she wouldn't be back till 7pm…I pumped my fist in celebration.

The cell phone currently grasped in my hand read 8:21am…if I could manage to jog three quarters of the fifteen minute trip I could make it and walk the rest calmly. Thank god I always passed maths, but something that didn't go according to schedule was the fact that I had almost head collided into the back of some broad shouldered person with a matching white shirted and brown bottomed uniform that I had on. Oh god…please don't let this person be going to my school as well.

I hissed at the doubling pain on my lump and lightly tapped it feeling it react with my touch.

"Ouch, I'm sorry for bumping into you."

Opening my eyes and holding back the pain I noticed the wild brown hair of the teen I had seen yesterday, it wasn't a typical hairstyle and was unique only to this boy.

"Takuya," I gasped.

His head turned around to my voice slightly dazed almost as if he looked stoned or something, strong bags under his eyes and just not the fresh face I had noticed the other day. I couldn't imagine what could have done something like this to anyone. Whoever did this was just complete cruel, even for my stakes…I could always just ask, but at the same time it's probably due to some idiotic reason of staying up all night playing video games and forgetting school was on the next day.

"Oh it's you red head…" he murmured not looking pleased to see me.

"No time goggles, the school bell is going to go," I ushered, he probably wasn't concerned at all – being late to school was probably a typical something for him…though this was the first day of middle school for many students including him, why was he not concerned. Walking with my back turned on him, I was about to jolt when he spoke.

"What are you doing? The bell doesn't even go for another twenty minutes…" I paused and turned around raising an eyebrow.

"Say that again."

"There's no need to rush, the school bell isn't going to ring for another exactly seventeen minutes." He corrected himself returning his cell phone into his pocket and cheekily grinning the best way he could with his tired face, "So why not walk with me? I see you're attending the same school as me."

"In your dreams, I wouldn't be caught walking with someone who wears a pair of goggles around his neck," In reality I probably would, but I didn't want to talk to anyone just yet. I was still trying to work out the time error.

I looked down at my cell phone and realised my time was still the same, "Huh…that's weird." The whole time I had bumped into him I would have thought a minute or two would have gone passed… "Pass me your cell phone boy!"

He stuttered a little before considering about handing his phone.

"Will you hurry up? I won't bite; I just want to check the time on your phone."

"Hmm…"

"Will you let me see the time already!" I raised my voice at him, and as I thought he had got the message through his thick skull he was about to hand the slim light grey touch screen phone with red detailing, but retracted and held it high above his head.

"Say please."

What game was this boy playing at? He was starting to get on my nerves. I just needed the time and now he was treating me like a baby. Like heck I was going to let him treat me like that, he was only about a third of a head taller than me; I would easily be able to reach his cell phone – no problem.

"You think that will stop me!" I grouched and hurled myself up jumping and snatching the phone easily from his hands.

A smirk came across his face, just as I was about to unlock the phone to check the time quickly before he tried something new he was able to slyly snatch it out of my hands. I had a tight grip, how did he take it? And I was so bloody close to finding out the time. Okay this brunette was officially getting on to my nerves, I had no idea what I saw in him the first time round I saw him.

"All you have to do is say please and I'll let you go off…it's that simple," Takuya teased his teeth showing at me and his eyes laughing at me from the inside.

"No!" I belittled.

"C'mon?"

"Never"

"You need the time and all you got to say is please. What would the principal think if you were late on the very first day of class?"

"Don't you care that you could possibly be late?"

"Nah I have my connections, since the middle school was right next to my elementary school I have some ties with the older teachers and most of the students are the same kids from my elementary school."

I hissed at his cockiness, I just wanted to grab his face and pin it against a wall to show how much it was grinding into my head. Taking out my cell phone one last time hoping that the time was right and my time wasn't stuck I sighed depressingly to find it still had the same digits. As a matter of fact my whole cell phone was frozen…how did I not realise that? That was probably why I slept through the alarm as well. I was even more dependent on that phone now.

"I don't care what connections you have, I just need that time," my voice slightly cracking to a needy tone. Damn, I didn't want to show my desperateness.

His hand lowered a little noticing my situation and letting it go, he gave me sympathy, but his giving in didn't come without a lecture.

"You know, that attitude can get you into danger. I don't want to be the one to keep on saving your behind when an upperclassmen or student tells you off for being rude to them."

I paused for a bit taking head of his words and then realised I was staring deep into his serious eyes. I suddenly imagined Takato and wondered what he would be doing now. What no? Not at a time like this, I shook my head disagreeing with my thoughts and snuffed hot air into the goggle neck wearing boy.

"Whatever."

Silence roamed again as I took the time to look at the time on his really modern phone, must have cost a fortune. He was right, there was now exactly fifteen minutes to the bell…my time was wrong. But now I had to get a crack on things if I wanted to make it to school on the dot by walking.

"Satisfied?" He took back his phone after taking in the time and switched it to silent mode before sliding it back into his front pocket, "Now because of your stubbornness we have to walk fast."

"Shut up," I muttered feeling down being told off about my personality, despite it being told in a joking way I took it to heart and affected me more than usual. Most likely because this boy was pretty much a stranger and had the gut to tell me straight to my face.

Turning heel I broke out into a run and went ahead making my way to school. From the corner of my eye I could see the shadow in the ground of his hand reaching out trying to stop me, but I didn't stop and in no time found myself several minutes before the bell for the initiation assembly to begin. That was going to be a hell of a boring 45 minutes.

1010101010101010101010

I couldn't help but sit through lunch at my table alone, every other student had friends they had known, I had no one…not even Takuya was assigned to my class. The class 1-A seemed to be mingling with each other really well and a couple squealing girls seemed to be crowded over a poor boy who was having a tough time trying to ignore them seated on his desk in the far corner gazing outside the window.

This guy seemed to have a complete different aura compared to Takuya's cheerful positiveness. There wasn't anything negative about him, but he held an aura that warned people to stay away and keep out of his personal space despite the fan girls by his side. They reminded me of a bunch of Kazus and Kentas fangirling over Ryo. I held back a chuckle and then the boy with the long tied up raven hair and bangs gave me a stare from opposite the classroom. I felt a shiver down my spine. What was this feeling?

He just made me feel like how I felt before DoruGreymon's surprise appearance the other day. My gaze left his and I stared down at my desk, rolling a pencil to pass the time by. Thinking that I had such a short time to make it to school I didn't consider making lunch or bringing money to buy from the school's cafeteria. Stupid me, I could feel my stomach beginning to eat it's self.

After lunch we had afternoon classes and then we'd be able to go home. What a first day it had been, the school was so large that it took me the whole week to finally assemble the basic necessities that were located in the school such as the ladies' toilets and the school nurse's room. Also by the end of the week I had gotten into a regular routine of bumping into Takuya on the way to and from school I decided to just wait for him starting next week it would save me time having to bump into him accidentally each time and go through a whole argument.

There was one girl who had gotten the courage to talk to me and get to know me, if I remember…her name was Chiaki, but other than that I only got the several perverted boys asking personal questions and that they wanted to know more of me in the future. I always stood up and rejected them when that happened leaving the classroom.

It happened the very following Tuesday when the short boy known as Teppei, dark brown, spiky hair and glasses came up to me and asked if I would agree to going out with him on the weekend. Easily I rejected his pitiful offer and walked out of the classroom with ten minutes till lunch was over I thought why not take a walk. The class knew I wasn't someone to be talked to casually and I had built a status so those who weren't close wouldn't even bother chatting with me. I think I even already had a nickname.

I came upon the school roof barricaded by metal wired fencing and sat on the bench that was placed there. Who cares if I was a few minutes late for class, the homeroom teacher wasn't the first person either to enter the classroom. So far my opinion on this new school and environment reminded me so much of home. The glasses-geek-yet-go-getter Teppei who I felt was like Kenta and Kazu put together, then the several Jeri personality girls that squealed from happiness every two seconds – you just wanted to shoot those type of energy exerting girls. No one could replace the real Jeri, I should probably at least keep in contact with her; she is or was my best friend…

"How are you finding middle school so far?" A voice startled me, but I calmed down when I realised it wasn't directed to me. During my time of thought I hadn't realised two boys had walked on to the rooftop as well, one sounded very familiar, but the other more serious and deep when he replied.

"The same result as elementary, at the top of the class and surrounded by annoying fangirls."

Sounds like some jerk I know…

"You like showing off and you know it. But it isn't bad having girls follow you is it?"

My radar went off, that voice definitely belonged to Takuya, having a week of it non-stop proved that he was up here chatting with some other guy. I'm surprised the two hadn't noticed me yet.

"Takuya, you get girls trailing you as well; I've recently seen a clingy one that walks with you to and from school. The one that's in my class, Ren…no Rena."

Clingy one! Who are you referring to jerk face, if only I could turn around and see who it is without giving away my eavesdropping cover, what else did he have to say about me. At least I had him narrowed down to someone in my class…surrounded by fan girls – wait that's the emo guy that likes to stare at the window every lunch. Wouldn't have imagined for Takuya to be friends with someone so serious like that…

"Are you referring to Rika?" Takuya let out a laugh and I kept my ears attended to the conversation, "If you enjoy arguing every two seconds that I'd say she's actually pretty fun to hang around with."

I could feel a big grin placed on his face right about now, I just wanted to punch him, he argues purposely for his own entertainment, wait till I see him this afternoon I'm going to get my fat fist in his big cocky forehead and send it to Mars.

"It seems you're the only one who ended up coming to this middle school from the group," Takuya spoke his voice having suddenly turned serious.

"It is my local school, but the others have their reasons. And this wasn't the closest school for everyone. JP was already attending some other middle school before we even started. Koichi lives too far away; he'd have to catch the train super early if he wanted to arrive on time. And well we all know that Zoe left for Italy earlier this year on that international school program, despite how depressing it was. I heard she said she might want to permanently live there," the emo-raven haired boy replied wavering a heavy tone of sadness as he spoke that last line. Even though I had no clue who these people were it seemed they all had a close connection.

"Zoe…" Takuya lightly echoed. You could feel the heartache in his voice, the boy beside him obviously picked up on it to and suggested for the two to go back inside as the bell was about to go.

Getting my butt off the seat I seemed to make a louder sound than expected and drew attention to myself by the two boys. They both eyed me like they had seen a ghost, but by the time I was through with them they would be ghosts, mainly the raven haired boy for considering me in the same level as those clingy fan girls of his.

"Rika?" the two chorused. My spiky pony tail gave it away before I even had the chance to reveal my face. I gulped under pressure and turned around feeling like ten pounds on my head. Yeah I had the motive to pummel them, but who said anything about having guts?

"Rika here…" I replied.

"H-h-have you been there the whole time?" The long haired boy asked frightened. Yes, that's right be afraid of me you worm!

"I was here before the two of you came," I tried to explain, "You two just seemed so caught up about your fan girl count to notice I was here."

"So you heard everything?" The supposedly emo boy asked.

"Who knows?" I teasingly replied, I wasn't going to let him go easily, him and his clingy comment, "You wouldn't want to be clingy now would you."

I stared at him with angry eyes, once he recovered from state of shock, his serious eyes returned while his mouth tried to cover everything up, "I was referring to Takuya being the clingy one."

"Give it up," I demanded, I wasn't in the mood for excuses, "I can't stand people who lie. I'm going, the two of you had better hurry since the bell is about to go."

I walked around the seat and walked right in the middle of them. Takuya got away again without saying anything. I had to still put up with the guy I had no idea about his name…isn't that ironic?

I left end homeroom class finally learning the boy's name, it was Koji Minamoto. For the first time I paid attention to the roll call names instead of just zoning out after my name was called out, despite his name being ahead of mind on the list. I just hadn't been bothered learning his name – he was of no concern to me.

"I don't really feel like seeing Takuya today…" I'll probably just walk ahead, thinking it over as I stepped outside the school grounds and already turning the corner.

To my annoyance the voice of Takuya came ringing, "Yo, Rika! Wait up!"

I cursed under my breath and then turned around putting on the most annoyed face possible. He took it to heart and started questioning.

"Why have you been so moody today?"

He wasn't the only boy I was walking home with today, somehow Koji was with him, I wondered why he was in such a hurry to leave class today other than wanting to go home. He was usually the last one to leave…Koji was a little ways behind I assumed not wanting to create an awkward scene. Finally replying to Takuya's question I put it directly to his face, "Because you and your friend's cockiness drive me angry. I hate it when people lie and are cocky."

I stared extra at Koji who tried to act like everything was normal with earphones in his ears blocking out the sound.

"Sheesh, you really have a limited choice on what you like don't you?" Takuya muttered running a hand through his hair, "7th grade is going to be one hell of a year with you around."

"Care to say that again?" I angrily questioned raising an eyebrow.

"I don't enjoy your company either red head!"

"Then why did you call for me to wait?" I had him pinned.

"Because I find you intriguing," he caught me off guard.

"Well I find you a dumbass!"

"You're only speaking what you truly are."

My fists tensed under the anger, "And I thought your brother was immature."

"Last time I checked you were calling him an old man."

"Will you just shut up!"

"The very words of defeat!" He did his famous cocky grin and patted my head like some little girl. He kept on doing this and I noticed out of the corner of my eye Koji holding back a laugh. My eyes glaring at him reminded him to keep his seriousness in control around me.

"Why is he here anyway?" I shot back after some silence.

Koji still dawdling behind staying out of the conversation as best as he could while eavesdropping and enjoying a laugh every now again, my last question gained his attention.

"I'm having a little get-together at my house," Takuya replied, "So you won't have to worry about him walking home with _us_ _everyday together_."

His emphasis on the 'us' and 'together' caused a slight blush creep on to my face; I turned my head the other way straight away trying to hide it.

"Aren't you going to ask what it's about?" Takuya persisted; I sensed a teasing moment coming on. I just continued to ignore because it seemed Koji did the likes of shutting us both up. Takuya's mentioning of the get-together seemed to strike him

"It's none of her business either way," Koji stated coldly.

I felt shunned and out of my place, why was I still walking with them considering how I felt, but wait several thoughts rushed back into my mind…I still hadn't interrogated Takuya to see if he was the source of the beeping from my Digivice. It's not like Digimon was something that was hidden from the world that much anyway, but considering it's been quiet lately other than that attack by DoruGreymon I wouldn't be surprised if merchandise stopped selling. The news hadn't been reporting anything. Digimon isn't as hyped at it used to be in elementary; I walked with my head down and just wanted to go home.

Other than the occasional scolding from either Takuya or Koji I kept my self silent, Koji's words really putting me off from speaking more than I had in mind. We were now passing Takuya's house signing our departure, Takuya bothered to wave, but I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I didn't care to wave. I knew it was rude, but I didn't need new friends…I had a perfect pair of friends back in Shinjuku that I left without setting things straight. It's only going to drive me insane.

Mr. Suzuko our Social Studies teacher gave us a bit of homework and I had a stack of maths homework from the old Mrs. Iwate, I can already tell she's been at the school probably since it opened up in the 60's.

"I'm home!" I yelled out heading straight upstairs. It alerted my grandma to smirk about me never changing and Renamon to meet me in my room. I grabbed the already laid out casual clothes on my bed and changed straight away.

"Welcome home, Rika," Renamon greeted formally.

A bit of casual talk between my partner about my day and straight away moved on to finishing the load of homework. Middle school is definitely different than Elementary – a lot more homework than usual despite having gone to a private school. I was going to have to get in to a regular routine if I wanted to always finish my homework on time.

I sat in my chair opening my work book and writing in the date scheduling the day of work. An hour later I had the math's work out of the way as I exerted my energy and leaned against the back of my wooden styled chair. Not being bad at maths means I was able to finish it earlier than expected, I double checked everything and shoved the book back into my brown leather suit-case styled school bag. There was still a bit of work left from Social Studies, but I decided to post pone that and hop on to my bed. Being in the 21st century I was surprised I didn't have a computer or notebook…I have to remind my mum about one of those when she decides to come home.

Rolling on to my stomach I had a clear view of the newly stolen alarm clock from my grandma's room installed and with bright red digits telling me it was five minutes to six. The time went by slowly…it wouldn't take more than twenty minutes to finish my remaining homework so I decided it would be a good job to take a walk around the neighbourhood before it became too dark to see anything.

"Hey Renamon, you want to come?" I insisted having left her behind the last time.

"Going for a walk?" she replied reading my mind.

I nodded and walked out of the room remembering to bring my Digivice off the bedside table. Renamon agreed and slid outside the window and hopped out meeting me by the front door. My grandma noticed me walking down the stairs and insisted before leaving to have a snack so I did to not allow her to beg more than she was.

With a granny smith apple in my hand and in the current process of finishing slipping on my red sneakers I headed out. These walks were becoming more frequent every day that passed in this neighbourhood.

I paused turning skyward at the end of the street something hold me back in my thoughts as I looked back down at the house I assumed was Takuya's and narrowed my eyes, some part of me wanted to know what Takuya and his friends were up to and the other half told me just to walk away minding my own business. But I chose the nosey path and headed back up the hilly road passed my house and further down to the one I considered to be Takuya's after reading the word 'Kanbara' on the house plate outside the high walls that fenced off every house in this street keeping privacy.

Not entering the property but just staring at the household through the bars of the entrance gate. The blinds seemed to be down, I feel like a stalker now. For a reunion of several people it seemed pretty quiet…maybe no one was home. With that thought in mind I took it the most likely option and sighed walking away before being noticed if they would return any moment. It would surely be awkward being caught gazing at his house without a reasonable excuse.

"Is there something on your mind?" Renamon asked trying to weave out answers for my strange loitering.

"I don't know, my feet just dragged me on my own," I muttered back establishing I had just said what was on my mind, thinking more into the idea that I was practically stalking Takuya I shook my head and groaned, "Let's go!"

Renamon widened her eyes at my frustration but continued following walking on the bridges of the fence out of immediate human eyesight.

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Time had passed faster than expected with only myself and my mind to entertain me, I had walked to the corner store and bought a soft drink as my stomach was beginning to play around and drive hunger into my mind. The sun had set by the time I left the store so it would be quite late. Hands in my pockets trying to block away the cold drafts and intending to return home I turned the corner only to find something strange stop me.

Renamon had also picked up on what my Digivice started reacting to. There was that spontaneous and continuous green and red beeping light. I pulled it out and furrowed my eyebrows trying to understand what this was, last time there happened to be a powerful Digimon in the area, but that was also strange considering it had first picked up on someone from the Kanbara family when I first met them. What the heck does it mean…

"Rika! Something just leaped overhead," Renamon informed dropping down from the roof of the store, "What do you want me to do?"

"We have to follow it!" I ordered, "I'm not letting this one get away."

"Would it be faster if I evolved?" Renamon inquired.

Trying to grab the invisible cards off my belt I stuttered realising I hadn't brought them. This was going to be trouble if this was another ultimate level Digimon, "I've forgotten them," I sighed hopelessly.

"Doesn't matter then, we'll just run," Renamon tried to cheer me up. I smiled and then followed after her lead following whichever way she was leaping.

Though somehow as we ran I noticed the streets we were entering were leading closer and closer to my own street, maybe this had some relation to the first beeping of my digivice. But this was a Digimon not a human…perhaps the Tamer's partner returning home.

"We've got them…cornered in our street…now!" I spoke through deep breaths of air one hand leaning against the wall for support. That sprint had taken it out of me – I'd usually be able to run farther but the injury on my gut was straining on me. Renamon kept hidden to surprise the victim if they were a harmful Digimon, while I gripped the digivice in my hand and stared it waiting for a scan of it to appear. But the device did the opposite it faded away from its last green flash…what? Did the Digimon just disappear or something?

I wasn't going to give up on the hunt so easily, "Renamon keep a keen eye from up there!"

Walking into my street I felt a strange aura, the street lamps had turned on and you could see the annoying Moths and Mosquitoes buzzing around the light attracted to it. I kept close to the curb and noticed a silhouette in the far, it looked really familiar. It belonged to a human. I came close enough to view the person's face and gasped when I saw it leaving Takuya's house.

"Koji…" I gasped.

He turned around like I was one of his annoying fangirls and raised an eyebrow, "It's the fire brigade," he taunted.

I hated all these jokes him and Takuya were getting used to, but wasn't prepared to rebut, "Why?"

The digivice in my hand tightly I felt a connection to him for some reason and questioned why he happened to be here at the time my digivice went inactive, did he have something to do with the Digimon?

"Why what?" he jerked back as if wanting to leave in a rush.

He was a real pinhead trying to talk to, though I wasn't any better.

"It's just…no it can't be."

"What can't be?"

"Do you happen to know anything about Digimon?" I lightly asked trying to keep the conversation casual and not give away too much just in case he had nothing related to it.

His eyes widened in a state of shock, and he gasped. He knew something and not just about the regular merchandise of Digimon that used to be popular…something about the real deal.

"By your face reaction, I assume you do," I bluffed.

He lowered his head and stared at me seriously to make sure I wasn't playing a game.

"What do you happen to know?" Kouji replied taking in that he did know about Digimon he seemed insecure about it.

"You're staring at a professional Digimon Tamer," I steadily replied crossing my arms. A tension had built between us.

"A tamer…," he echoed like he had heard the term before, but wasn't fully informed about the topic. This was going to be interesting getting to know Koji.

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To be continued…

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Already a week into school and Rika already seems to have herself involved with Takuya and now Koji. The two already on her nerves…Takuya telling her off about her attitude and Koji feeding her the same smart assed attitude she does so well delivering, how will they learn to communicate properly?


	4. A Happening Few Days

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 4: A Happening Few Days  
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Those other three were beginning to get on my nerves, where were JP, Tommy and Koichi. When you tell certain people to be ready and on a set time and place why they don't show up on time, Koichi I'll let slip since he lives pretty far away. But JP and Tommy attend schools that are neighbouring it shouldn't take them that long to arrive or at least contact us that they would be late or not able to come to our reunion. JP better not be late because of a sudden urge for ice cream or something.

I was currently sitting relaxed on one of Takuya's beige living room couches that were really comfortable. I was surprised to find that his mother would actually trust him with the house for the afternoon while she took out the rest of her family shopping. I got to wave to Shinya good bye once they left. We never really got on since I teased him a lot. But Takuya had grown with responsibility ever since the Digital World so I can see his mother's point despite her not knowing about the Digital World yet. Though I can just see how any parent would react seeing their child turn into some supernatural creature…if that day were ever to happen I don't think my stepmom would ever be able to look at me again in the same way.

Takuya finally came back from the kitchen laying out some snacks to indulge ourselves in while the others took their precious time to arrive. Really, where are they!

"Do you think you can give one of them a call at least to see where they are?" I raged out snacking into a seaweed covered rice cracker.

Takuya ploughed himself on the couch opposite me and raised his feet on the coffee table; I was surprised by his actions and his reply "You've got a phone, why don't you call them?"

"I'm low on credit," I muttered back following his footsteps on putting my feet on his coffee table. This wasn't the first time I had been at his house, I had been over several times during spring break and the years before filled with events, you might even say this had become my third home after being a frequent visitor to Koichi as well.

The goggle neck wearing leader shot me a glare like he wanted to kill me and got up muttering something that was most likely colourful words about me and grabbed the house phone. He dialed what I noticed from his finger arrangement JP's number first and was put on pause for a bit before receiving a reply.

"Hey JP, where the hell are you!" He asked aggressively over the phone. Their fifteen minutes late to the scheduled time hadn't only gotten on my nerves. I couldn't have said the words Takuya addressed to JP in any better way.

Seeing from his face movements JP was feeding Takuya a poorly established excuse to cover up going to the ice cream truck or something that had a stupid history behind it. Whatever it was and by the end of the phone call had come to a conclusion that JP was going to be missing the reunion due to a sudden fair on his side of town that involved foods from all over the world, Tommy was also with him and had been attracted by the sudden fair as well.

"So those two are ditching today," I jerked not liking how the day was going. If I knew this was going to be end result I would have gone straight home.

"Next time I see them I swear…I'm going to-" Takuya was cut off from his rage cycle when my cell phone began ringing attracting his attention and me to pull out my phone from my pocket.

I read 'Evil Twin' on the caller ID and immediately picked up, on the other line was my brother and I knew by his pace of voice that it wasn't going to end well. My face turned dead serious when Koichi delivered the news, the reunion had to be cancelled today since a Digimon was on the loose.

"Are you able to get to it from Koto?" I asked. This didn't seem like any joking matter, Takuya could pick up on the danger from my facial movements mouthing to me what was wrong.

"You're stuck, the train's are down because of it…then how do you expect us to get to it if it's downtown." I rebelled back, we were in as much of a stuck situation as he was. The only difference was Koichi was stuck in a train station with heaps of people staring that could bust him spirit evolving while we were able to go unseen and hopefully catch the loose Digimon before it caused danger to citizens.

"Alright Takuya and I will take care of it, you just head back home bro…" I paused for a bit and then hung it up questioning why I accepted it. It wasn't going to be easy to get to Koto that was all the way downtown of Tokyo.

"What are we going to be doing?" Takuya persisted getting up out of his seat.

"We've got a get move on, there's a Digimon on the loose and it's all the way in Koto near the border of Odaiba," I informed not leaving out any details. This was going to be a long trip and we needed to hurry up if we didn't want to be back after curfew.

"I guess we're lucky since my family isn't home, we should spirit evolve in the back and then make our way since the trains are down in the area," Takuya chuckled already gripping the D-Tector in his palm ready for evolution.

I nodded no need for any dialogue and we rushed to the backyard. It wasn't large just your small courtyard with a outdoor table and two sets of chairs with arm rests supposedly for those Sunday mornings when you could relax gazing out the clouds. My mind easily get's distracted on to the important matter Takuya took the lead scanning his fractal code to evolve to Agunimon while I followed and was in the form of Lobomon a few short seconds later.

The others and I were aware there had been many recent sightings of Digimon by citizens over the past year, and it had got in to a regular routine where usually Koichi, Takuya or I were forced to act as superhero figures and rid of these wandering and mayhem claiming Digimon which the source of their appearance was unknown…our conversation with Ophanimon was cut short since we lingered around our families a lot, but I knew she was trying as hard as she could along with the other two Celestial's to identify the cause.

The person behind all these attacks had been rather smart placing the Digimon far away from where we lived having us have to travel pretty far away to destroy them and some of the times went undetected by the sensor on our D-Tectors, which in Ophanimon's case was impossible. Whoever was behind this was definitely a mastermind. Despite these attacks being a problem, we were sometimes left in even more dangerous states without our beast spirits due to them being scattered in the human world from a large incident a year back involving two members of the Olympus Twelve.

A notorious bunch that resulted in us having to use our beast spirits to seal off Dianamon and Apollomon from causing havoc, their powers just proved to be too strong. One was enough to handle being equivalent to Lucemon in power, but having a powerful control of flames and the sea we were disadvantaged and found our only way to stop them was to risk scattering our beast spirits whether they ended up anywhere in Tokyo or in the Digital World. Hopefully one day we could find them again, but time just wasn't on our side and despite having looked in the Digital and Human World in our spare time we were reduced to our human spirits.

Powerful but would never be able to face off a mega level unless we were all together and had a brilliant strategy; luckily for us there hadn't been anything other than champion and ultimate level to invade the human world. The Celestials took care of the intruders in the Digital World.

And lately we had been informed of the existence of children who were partnered with Digimon that could protect a certain sector of Tokyo ever since the gate that only existed in Shibuya Station had expanded to Shinjuku. We hadn't been told their names but there were eight of these so called tamers that if we ended up in a dangerous state could rely on them considering we needed the help in the first place. Our first intention was to use our own power to destroy the Digimon before having to rely on backup outside of the warriors. It just came with the territory.

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"8pm…" Takuya groaned miserably staring at his watch as I trailed right behind to his house to pick up my bag and head back home, my parents were probably on the exert of killing themselves about not leaving a note that I would return home so late after facing off that lousy Diatrymon, no wonder dodo birds were extinct.

That bird type Digimon didn't have the ability to fly despite its large wing span and had us chasing it like wack jobs all over town, we finally cornered it in an alleyway and finished the job of scanning the colourful yet fierce Digimon. He didn't go down without a fight which I don't mind since it is the highlight of most of my days considering it being filled with school and now the homework I have to finish off once I get my things.

"My parents are going to ground me, so it's better we hurry," I suggested breaking out into a run before Takuya towards his house. He took this in a competitive way sprinting ahead of me.

"I'll be lucky if I find myself awake tomorrow once I go back home," Takuya said half jokingly with a large hint of terror in his voice. His mother could be frightening sometimes, which I gave him sympathy for…but considering it was Takuya nothing had stopped him from anything before and there was no way that his mother could be any worse than Lucemon.

"Then we'd all be able to relax," I said sarcastically slowing down as we reached the Kanbara residence, the high walls that blocked off every suburban home in this street and only had the family name printed on the outer wall for people to know who lived in each home gave it away. Takuya went in ahead taking a gulp before sliding the metal gate and allowing us both in the front pathway.

"You're very funny Koji, but I do value my life and I really hope my mum isn't waiting at the door with a wooden spoon in her hand ready to beat me," Takuya moaned foreseeing what was awaiting him behind the front door. Wasn't there a law against beating your children? I couldn't help but laugh…I remember one time Takuya copped a smack on the head for cheating in a video game against his brother. I had to hold back the laugh once the door opened and Shinya was the one to open the door.

I sighed for the sake of Takuya while he was still shocked as we walked in his mother had been completely regular with him coming home late.

"I'm home…" Takuya beckoned calling attention to the both of us as his mother scarily smiled at us and his father even offered a wave.

"Welcome back Takuya," Mr. Kanbara welcomed, "And Koji if you'd like to join us for dinner you can."

"It's alright, it's late as it is and my parents are probably worried that I'm not home yet," I replied as nicely possible not trying to pull them out of their creepy relaxed state and earn Takuya a beating that would scar him for the rest of his life. Waving a farewell to Takuya and his family I left the Kanbara residence peacefully knowing that Takuya's mum would be punishing Takuya once I left and I be laughing about it the next day when Takuya would complain about it.

The night was ringing with a heavy atmosphere; I felt drained of energy…the night wasn't always on my side, only when the full moon was out I felt my power rise. It had always been a side effect once we were given the human spirits back and told to protect the human world from danger and interferences. At least the side effect wasn't too draining since the night was spent for sleeping, but I couldn't say the same for my brother – he always found it so hard to sleep and during the day school would be a whole blur. He was actually in the middle of taking remedial lessons just to catch up despite it being only one week into school.

I dragged myself outside the gate to the front yard and paused for a bit taking a deep breath of air when I felt the beat of a pair of running feet in the distance coming closer. Probably some night jogger, I shook it off my head and was about to take a step headed for home when I was stopped by an annoying and unexpected red head.

"Koji…" she spoke slightly startling me as it took a bit to adapt to the lighting under the street lamp and recognizing it was Rika.

The light seemed to enhance the red in her hair and plus the fact she was breathing deeply after her run the only words I could reply back were, "It's the fire brigade."

I was going to be insulted back; she seemed to have a talent for that. I laughed when Takuya told me the incident that other morning with her cell phone; she'd probably kill me if I brought it up. Doing the opposite of what I expected I felt a dramatic change in the atmosphere when she replied with 'why?' instead of another insult. When I concentrated on her body actions more I raised an eyebrow and noticed a strange blue and white device in her palm…I felt like I knew what it was, but it would be impossible. If it was a digivice I would have finally found one of those legendary tamers that Ophanimon spoke about, but if it wasn't and I blurted out something about Digimon I would be in trouble, I had to play it smart so I answered back, "Why what?"

Her back straightened, taking one last deep breath before responding, "It's just…no it can't be."

She was really beginning to confuse me, why wouldn't she just speak proper English.

"What can't be?"

"Do you happen to know anything about Digimon?" She seemed scared asking that question. I was surprised that she brought it up and wondered if she really was one of those tamers or just playing games. I had to be a hundred percent sure before making an advance.

I kept it silent for a bit letting her speak for me, "By your face reaction, I assume you do."

She wasn't a regular person; a smirk was planted on her face and there was a shift in her eyes. They looked almost like they had conquered something triumphantly.

"What do you happen to know?" I responded suspiciously.

"You're staring at a professional Digimon Tamer," Rika slyly replied crossing her arms in the process like she was the Digimon Queen or something.

"A tamer," I echoed, knowing my thoughts were true. I would have to say I was surprised that Rika of all people would be someone in link with Digimon and would've saved the Digital World at one point. As she mentioned her title a yellow fox like Digimon jumped down to her side like a ninja. A Digimon appearing meant that my digivice was going to react to it and give away the fact I had a digivice of my own.

My prediction was correct and I pretended to ignore her for awhile pulling out my digivice, I could notice her lavender eyes widen from surprise from the corner as I held the D-Tector in my hand. A hologram appeared from the tiny blue screen after I selected a button and the data of her supposed partner appeared in a 3D grid. The details of the digimon were clearer from my Digivice, a pretty large rookie digimon by the name of Renamon. I closed the hologram and slid the digivice back into my pocket and noticed the gleaming icy blue eyes of the Digimon. I wasn't afraid, but couldn't deny that I wasn't slightly intimidated.

"That was a digivice in your hands right?" Rika persisted. I snuffed at her question the night wasn't doing me justice and was drawing my focused energy, plus discussing the issue in public wasn't the best option.

"Yeah it was a digivice, but a more advanced model than your one," I informed beginning to walk when she interrupted me again.

"Why is your digivice different and does it mean you have a Digimon partner?" Rika continued to run the questions, who knew she could talk too much. She seemed the type to be more into her own problems rather than prying into other's business.

"Like I told you earlier, this is none of your _business_," I rejected her not up for talking, she could just ask me tomorrow morning when I had the energy. I really needed to go home.

Turning heel and beginning to walk when her partner appeared before me, was she forcing me to stay behind…I wasn't going to put up with this. If she didn't budge I would take action. I stepped aside and tried to walk around Renamon as the fox placed a hand in front blocking my pathway. She really is trying to stop me. It forced a smirk on my face; she didn't know who she was messing with. It wouldn't be hard getting passed her partner.

I paused for a bit absorbing her attention and prepared to dive under her arm, but she seemed to block me like she could read my mind. I pivoted and swung for the other side but her other arm was quick enough to block my pathway. This required me to be smarter; I held the fox's arm and pushed it down. Renamon was surprised by my strength as I was able to keep it pinned and I jumped over her arm making a dash for it, but it didn't stop there. This was going to be a long night ending with me crashing in my bed once I got home.

"Renamon don't let him leave!" I heard Rika in the distance ordering her female partner. The fox was fast, but so was I. Though being in a human form wouldn't allow me to outrun her so I had to be sly.

I had to be able to transform without them seeing, giving away my secret could be a problem. I snuck into an alleyway with the time I had ahead of Renamon and summoned the fractal code quickly around my hand and scanning it across the roof of my digivice.

"Execute! Spirit Evolution!"

"Lobomon!"

Leaving the ball of fractal code and making speed after losing some transforming. Renamon caught a quick glimpse of my evolved form, but unsure what to make of it when I leaped into the light of the crescent moon with my scarf flapping against the wind creating cracking sounds that was giving away my position. The fox seemed to have given up and I knew that the light my spirit evolution created caught her attention – the icy blue eyes trying to analyse what type of Digimon I was, she was at a lost trying to add up whether I had turned into the Digimon or it was my supposed partner.

It looked like no one was trailing me anymore when I made it to my street leaping over houses and decided to devolve behind a dumpster in an alleyway and made it seem casual as I walked out and returned home. There was going to be a lot of questions tomorrow from that fire truck, but now I had to sleep.

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The thought of entering school entered a shiver down my spine, I had homeroom with Rika at the first and end of the school day and she was also in my Maths class second period which it made it tough to avoid, though I had to give her props for even making it the 1st class which showed that she had intelligence and passed her middle school entrance exam with flying colours unlike a clueless Takuya. That reminds me, Takuya still doesn't know about what happened last night. I'll have to alert him about the incident with Rika at Lunch.

Entering homeroom was the same since school started, I made way to my seat in the far end walking passed my classmates and replying to calls of 'good-morning', namely from the girls. The boys tended to ignore me – the reason behind that was pretty easy. I was someone who was an obstacle in their future love lives with the females of the class, I didn't care. I was only twelve and there was still the rest of my life to have to worry about something like that.

Speaking of girls, I still hadn't noticed Rika enter the room and only five minutes until the final bell for homeroom would ring. She was probably running late due to one of Takuya's antics.

It was now five minutes after the bell; it looked like she wasn't going to show. Rika had never been late to class; her absence was beginning to frustrate me. I was prepared mentally to answer her prying questions, but it seems I was only going to be able to talk with Takuya later about the incident.

My accustomed brain was shot like a glass panel when the door slid open and standing there was Mrs. Hinata our homeroom teacher. She was in her early 30's and had the looks of someone in their early youth. She was ranked as the 3rd hottest female teacher in our school her honey coloured locks and bangs that fell on her forehead. She had light brown coloured eyes and square sleek glasses that lied on the bridge of her nose and enhanced her cheekbones. Today she was wearing a forest green cardigan over a white short sleeved work blouse tucked into a high waisted skirt that stopped at her knees complete with black pumps.

Carrying a mug of steaming coffee she stomped her way to her desk and looked like a mess despite her pleasing appearance. When you focused more on her you could notice her hair was fizzed up and her eyes were dull with bags under, she must have spent the night drinking and overslept. I laughed at the thought that popped in my mind,_ perhaps she was having romance troubles, _I was sure one of the suck ups in our class would eventually get around to asking why she was so late and get her angry.

When I was going to return my attention back to the window outside, the person I had been waiting for to arrive finally showed, Rika had just run really late to school with a new hairstyle to show off today. Her hair was longer than I imagined always being tied up in that pony tail, it fell just below her shoulders and her highlights only showed more. I could notice the many 'awes' from the boys stunned by Rika's new found beauty. She wasn't even dressed up in full school uniform. Her white button school shirt loosely put on over some pink frilly thin strapped knee high dress, why was she dressed like this to begin with?

"Sorry I'm late!" Rika explained. The teacher just replied with a courteous hand gesture and suggested for her to sit in her seat not to disturb the class anymore, like she was one to speak.

She bowed in respect for being late to class and then walked with long strides to her desk in the opposite corner to my desk with her head lowered. I was surprised by her whole complexion and actions that I had no idea what would possibly result to this. As soon as she sat I stared from the corner of my eyes avoiding direct contact and noticing that her face had become red and was almost on the brink of embarrassment tears. Despite it not being my business I really wanted to know what had happened…this was the opposite to my regular nature – why was Rika so intriguing to me all of a sudden? I shook my head in disagreement and forced myself to concentrate on the teacher's words to drain out my current thoughts.

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To be continued…

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This time in Koji's POV, I'll be changing continuously throughout this story through several characters, my main three going to be Takuya, Rika and Koji. Those after reading reviews upset about Takato being ignored...I'm sorry I tried not to be harsh ^^''...he'll be back and part of the plot a little later on. For now I hope to establish a connection between Rika and the warriors.

A bit of an unexpected chapter to appear next round.


	5. The Wild Bunch

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 5:The Wild Bunch  
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**Koji's POV**

It takes five days to finally have a person decide to ask questions about something that should have you in awe and ready for interviewing the first second available for chat. Here I sat across the temperamental fire truck, her hair out of its ponytail and wearing a smug and embarrassed expression on her face. She was wearing apparently the latest winter fashion soon to hit the stores.

Me on the other hand was feeling slightly intimidated, how I had got into this situation I'd never believe, but one thing for sure I know is I'm surely going to kill that goggle wearing brunet by tomorrow morning. I had been dragged into a photo shoot along with Rika, all those parental forms that needed signing and permission to be able to do this was happily taken care of by my step mother after Takuya went behind my back.

My mother may have found it to be a delight that I was taking an amazing opportunity that came round only once in a lifetime she wanted me to believe, but apparently Rika's mother was a renowned super model; mums across Tokyo adored her for being a successful single mum. I knew my mum was a secret fan and hearing the opportunity for her son to be taking a photo shoot with the model's daughter was a close enough arrangement to get in touch with Ms. Nonaka.

I groaned, "I never would have expected to spend my Sunday like this."

There was no response; Rika continued to gaze passed me at the potted plant beside the leather couch I was seating on. While she avoided paying any attention towards me I stared at the mirror in the far right corner. I scowled at the way I was dressed – it was too out of my standards. I had a woollen navy blue beanie letting lose my bangs and my hair falling just before my shoulders. I was wearing a denim long sleeve jacket with a night blue tartan and white striped undershirt, rugged grey jeans and a pair of black boots tucked underneath the jeans.

Shuffling around, I noticed Rika take a quick glance at me before placing her face in her cupped hands sighing trying to cover her spying actions.

"Just spill out what you what's on your mind already," I muttered running out of patience, "If you have something to say about the other night then say it already."

"Do you really think it's easy Koji trying to find the right moment to speak up when you're scowling or looking away every two seconds?" Rika exclaimed.

I huffed and turned my head to the side. At that very moment a brunette lady in formal clothing and a headset poked her head from the door and spoke, "You two are up in 10."

"We've got ten minutes," Rika echoed stating the obvious as I rolled my eyes. There was only ten more minutes until we could start this and get it over and done with.

"Way to figure that out," I moaned, this conversation was heading nowhere. It was probably the fact we were both hard headed, and that we had been forced into this photo shoot. It wasn't an individual shoot, but one we had to take together for a popular clothes store catalogue. The shame and embarrassment I would receive once it was printed in colour across the Tokyo district, people that we knew at school were bound to make up rumours that Rika and I are actually going out.

"You're such a reject!" Rika bellowed with an insult that made me laugh. It was so easy to retort, the corner of my mouth twitched and the red head almost completely lost it, "Don't you dare start laughing."

"I'm only laughing at how lame your insults are," I replied back confidently, "Seeing as we're getting nowhere with this I'll answer a few basic questions."

Her eyebrows let up and her hands were beside her lap, she seemed scarily relaxed. When I adjusted to her mood change I sat up straight and folded my arms for authority, I began, "First thing to point out is I have no Digimon partner so don't go bother stalking my every movement trying to find one. I'm not a tamer and yes I've known and been to the Digital World several times over the past two years. I am a digidestined, but the way I protect the world is different than you tamers. So be the first outside our group of six to know we transform into Digimon and fight alone."

Rika raised her eyebrows in surprise trying to take it all in. She clasped her hands around her bare knees and took several moments to respond.

"Is that all you want to know?" I persisted. The pressure putting her on the spot as she began fiddling with her charcoal two layered mini skirt.

"There's a lot more I want to find out," She forced out. There was a feeling of hesitance in her voice, she was usually so sure of everything.

The lady from earlier peeped her head through the door way again and announced, "We need the two of you up, the photographer and Ms. Nonaka will meet you down the hall and escort you through what needs to be done."

Rika hopped out of her seat straight away turning her head over her shoulder and sternly stating, "We'll discuss the rest of this later."

I shrugged my shoulders and followed behind her slowly. The assistant whispered something into her headset before removing the microphone section away and whispering into my ear, "Good luck hon', you're one lucky boy to be working with the beautiful daughter of Ms. Nonaka. Don't ruin this chance sweetie."

Humph! I snorted at the lady earning myself a grumpy leer. It was sweet as summer's day knowing you could hurt someone so easily with a mere shrug of the shoulders and walking away without a response. The sooner this catalogue photo shoot was over, the sooner I could have Rika off my shoulders and be back to regular casual wear. It was Spring right now, why did we have to go through the trouble of modelling Winter and Autumn fashion from now? This was just plain old stupidity.

Either way the air in the room was becoming humid, I felt my undershirt beginning to stick to my back and my hair dampening, this needed to be completed as soon as possible.

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"Koji, you seem to be an expert at modelling, are you sure you have never done this before?" Yuriko Kanbara, Takuya's mum complimented holding a professional shot that featured me alone smiling pretending to be enthusiastic about the clothes I was wearing.

"Other than the occasional family photo I have never modelled and never want to be one," I replied contently sighing that the task was finally over and would not have to work with fire truck ever again. A week had already past during the photo shoot; my mother had received the photos in a package along with a basket of 'thankyou' muffins which my family and the Kanbara's were currently indulging in.

"This banana muffin is delicious!" Takuya exclaimed diving in for another bite before being scolded by his mother on table manners, despite the lot of sitting in our surprisingly large enough living room.

I elbowed Takuya and whispered placing one hand over my mouth blocking everyone else out, "You might choke on that, it's best if you listen to your mum about these things."

Takuya scowled, and I grinned. He gulped down a large dry bite before hoarsely retorting and shouldering me, "Shut up pretty boy!"

I was offended, but at the same time expecting it – Takuya had been teasing me about it since the first day it was over, "You were the one who went behind my back and told my mother about the audition for the shoot," I shot back, and then let out a deep sigh before concluding with, "And please come up with better ways to insult, you're almost as bad as Rika."

It was like a new spark had shot up in Takuya's eyes, I had to brace for this, "So how was everything with Rika?"

"She was flat out boring," I truthfully told.

"I know you're lying."

"You do? _How?"_ I muttered unconvinced turning flat towards the end.

"Digimon instinct," Takuya idiotically responded sparking up Shinya sitting beside his older brother taking up the limit of the three seater light blue sofa.

"What's a Digimon instinct?" Shinya baffled as he doted his finger on his lower lip.

I closed my eyes as I allowed Takuya to take bound for his responsibility for letting the term Digimon out to begin with. Opening my eyes a few seconds later not hearing Takuya's annoying voice – I was wrong to allow him so much responsibility, Takuya's face in utter shock as Shinya shook Takuya back into reality.

"Takuya!"

My eyes rolled.

"Takuya!" Shinya repeated.

It was time I took things into my own hands, my mind bursting at how easy it was for Takuya to make me jitter up and almost lose my cool, "Takuya!" I bellowed. My voice snapped him out of his trance as he shook his hands in the air remembering his purpose to defend work of the Digital World and its inhabitants. Basically if someone didn't need to know then it was unnecessary to explain such matters.

"A Digimon instinct is just an inside joke between Koji and I," Takuya thought of on the spot. I commended him on that, it didn't require further questions, but I was a little uneasy when my step mother looked over as if she was interested in the topic. She put her conversation with Yuriko on hold looking startled, and walked over kneeling on the arm rest beside me. My eyebrows knit when I felt something was suspicious.

"Hi…mum," It was always a challenge to mention 'mum', but my step mother didn't seem to be alert having something else on her mind she wanted to bring up. She pushed her glasses forward as they sunk leaning over.

"Takuya dear, did I hear you correctly?" Satomi asked while adjusting her polo shirt.

"I-I'm sorry," Takuya hesitated.

I was unnerved with my step mother half leaning on me and prying into our conversation, "Excuse me Satomi," I worded out shoving Satomi away lightly hoping she would return to Mrs. Kanbara ad but out of our business. But she did the exact opposite and shoved me over squeezing herself between me and the arm rest. It was a tight squeeze which resulted in my binding my leg movement and Shinya forced to sit upon the arm rest.

I relieved with a sigh when I had blood flowing through my legs once more.

"I'm sorry to intrude on your conversation like this but did I hear you mention Digimon by any chance?" Satomi surprised the pair of us.

"D-Digimon?" Takuya's face went disoriented, I was quite shocked as well to have her pick on something like that from where she was seated, "I-I- think you heard incorrectly, what I said was Digman."

"Digman?" I echoed, out of all things he could come up with, I wasn't going to play along with something so lousy, "Really…Digman?"

"You know Digman, one of the bosses from the Rockman game," Takuya bluffed, he was a whiz at video games so I let it slide, just this once I prayed for his stupidity to succeed, but was it going to convince my stepmom?

"I'm quite confident I heard Di-gi-mon," Satomi corrected, I face palmed, I was a failure to ever believe Takuya could get us out of something like this logically.

"Yeah, I heard Digimon too!" Shinya butted in, joining the assault attack on Takuya, his fists piped up, "You said you had a Digimon instinct Takuya."

"What? No? No, I didn't," Takuya was about to collapse from lying, I needed to think of something to save both our behinds. As soon I thought of something, Mrs. Kanbara decided to steer the wheel instead. What a waste of a brilliant idea, I chimed.

"Takuya, it's never good to lie," Yuriko had her hands on her hips comfortably on her pale green turtle neck, "Now what's he doing now?"

I had to say I actually felt sorry for Takuya, taking on a tri-attack from two parents and an annoying sibling had to be rough, though on the other hand I was feeling uncomfortable being caught directly in the middle of this.

"Mum, I'm not lying about anything," Takuya confessed almost on the brink of a break down, he ran his hand through his hair.

"He is so," Shinya blurted, that child needed to learn when to keep his mouth quiet; "All I want to know is what Digimon is?"

Yuriko placed a hand gently under her chin while towering over everyone on the couch, "Digimon…why does that sound familiar? Hmm…Digimon…" there was a little pause – Shinya's eyes lit up at the state he thought his mum possibly knew the answer, which was obviously invalid. Whilst an all-knowing smile grew on Satomi, I raised my eyebrow out of suspicion. Did our parents know something all along?

"Remember the times we were in college Yuriko," Satomi hinted. I was totally clueless to what my stepmother was leading on to.

Yuriko's face lit up, I felt a life story underway, "Oh now I remember why Digimon sounded so familiar, Hiroaki used to be so obsessed with it. He hung out with that international group that loved computer science…only at times like this you remember how nerdy my husband used to be…how I miss the days of college. Where does the time go?"

"Yuriko, I was one of those Beta Testers along with Hiroaki who tried out the first demo of the Digimon game – it was an adrenalin rush back then," Satomi began pacing like an energetic child. I had to admit I was a little unnerved about all this, "I'm still amazed at myself at how I remember so long ago. You attended the Community College that was in partnership with Palo Alto University."

Continuing their conversation like we didn't exist for a few moments Yuriko replied, "I was lucky to even make it to the Foothill-de Anza College in America all because of Hiroaki. I went through so much with my parents back then, while Hiroaki was easily accepted into a Computer Science class with you and the rest of the Wild Bunch," She giggled at the name while I glanced over at Shinya and Takuya as how this had occurred, "The things you do for love."

Takuya looked at away at his mother's last words.

"The Wild Bunch was a talented group, I'm amazed at how small this world really is and how all this time our children had been hanging out – dropping off Koji every time at your house Yuriko and not realising Hiroaki attended the same university as I did," Satomi began to reminisce about the old days.

"It's kind of nice having a friend from so long ago," Yuriko responded happily.

"So what is Digimon mum?" Shinya persisted, in my mind I was thanking god that he did. I had groaned so many times at how bored I was becoming.

"You know I wonder if we can still get in touch with those from the Wild Bunch," Satomi thought before being brought into reality by Shinya's constant winging.

"Mum!" Shinya whined.

"Yes Shinya," Yuriko said exasperatedly, a little irritated by his tone of voice.

"What's Digimon?" Shinya repeated.

"Let's change the topic, how about good old game of old maid?" Takuya asked attempting to change the topic, but failing miserably in doing so. If there weren't two adults in the room and one being my stepmother Takuya would have received a beating by now. I was clenching against the fabric of the couch, any tighter and I was sure it would tear.

"No!" Shinya retorted angrily not getting his way, "I want to know what Digimon is!"

Sure, all this information that was coming from the adults was something I had never heard before, my step mother having gone to university in America, and apparently knowing the makers of Digimon like it was a video game or something. It might've just been a coincidence in choice of name…I'm sure if it was a type of franchise we would have heard of it by now especially with my stepmother being an extreme fan of the 'game'. I shook my head disagreeing with passing thoughts as Yuriko began to reply to Shinya's question.

"Sheesh, would ya calm down kid?" Takuya retorted feeling insecure of being bossed around by a younger sibling. I was glad I didn't have one – wow that would be hell.

"Takuya!" Yuriko scolded. Takuya's jaw dropped at being accused, his mother continued, "You should know your brother is younger than you, that is no way to speak to him."

Takuya's shoulders lowered while he scowled and gave his brother a grim look, one that meant he would be secretly getting him back without him knowing. Shinya spat his tongue out in return going unnoticed by his mother…Takuya was about to rat on him before I shot him glance that would prevent him from a copping from his mother later on. He snuffed hot air out before folding his arms like a little child and slouching against the couch.

Yuriko brought Shinya's question back on track almost forgetting in the process, "Now what were we talking about again…" she laughed half heartedly and scratched her head before being reminded by Shinya.

"What's Digimon?"

"Oh yes, Digimon was nothing more than a childish video game where you got to look after your own pet simulation," Yuriko briefed.

Looking after your own simulation, I was beginning to grow a little curious. That would be the equivalent to your own virtual pet…sure the graphics weren't the best thing in those days. But perhaps if we heard a little more I could find out where my parents were gathering all this information from. I mean well at the start I thought the others and I were the only children to have ever witnessed and saved the Digital World. And now there are apparently children like Rika who have Digimon as partners, Renamon was it? Maybe I should have a sit down with her and discuss this information, we still haven't had the chance to chat since the photo shoot, only this time I bring at least Takuya or Kouichi.

"What's a pet simulation mean?" Both brothers questioned. I let go Shinya for not knowing what simulation meant, but Takuya please do you not pay attention in class?

"It's a virtual pet Takuya," I grumbled.

"Oh…err…I knew that." Takuya replied mortified.

"Sure you did," I returned unconvincingly.

"It was more than just a virtual pet Yuriko," Satomi began to smile, no, not anymore reminiscing of the past…please god no.

"You're too caught up on the past Satomi," Yuriko joked giggling lightly, but Satomi wasn't all too convinced something in her face changed like she had remembered something depressing. Her eyebrows furrowed and her glasses fell as she lowered her head. I picked them up before they could hit the floor and tried handing back before my stepmother almost whacked me with her arm from shock.

"Satomi?" Yuriko worriedly questioned, "Are you alright, I hope I didn't offend you?"

"Oh Yuriko, n-no you did nothing wrong," Satomi offered a smile but I could easily see it was a fake and I knew even Takuya could distinguish it being a fake as I felt an awkward aura over my shoulder. I glanced at Takuya only to find him eyeing me worriedly.

I rolled my eyes and worded, "It's most likely nothing."

Takuya smiled in return reflecting on me. He spoke up out of the blue, "You know what would go good with these muffins, some black tea. I'll go help you make it."

What did Takuya do? I jerked an eyebrow up wondering this was really Takuya or his good twin, until I noticed Takuya pointing his head towards the kitchen mouthing out, "We need to talk."

I agreed and lead the way to the kitchen, we were nearly stopped by Mrs. Kanbara but with a courteous bow she took a seat back down this time beside my stepmother in hopefully trying to figure out what she had suddenly gotten so depressed over.

Once in the kitchen I closed the door behind me quickly filled the kettle with tap water and set it to boil while Takuya began the private talk.

"Do you not thing any of this is coincidental?" Takuya inquired.

"Explain coincidental," I replied trying to drain out more of Takuya's thoughts.

"Well I'm not sure about coincidental, it just seemed like an appropriate time to use the word," he laughed it off before continuing; "I'll just put out what's on my mind. How the heck is it possible for our parents to know what Digimon is?"

"For all we know it could just be a company named that who happened to make a video game," I replied realistically, it's not that I wasn't curious at all. But jumping head in was never a good idea and for all we knew could just have been a coincidence.

"Who happened to make a video game based on virtual pets?" Takuya replied unconvinced swaying his hips as he planted his hands on them.

"Pure coincidence," I reinstated, "And plus we can't do much without any evidence."

"I think it's more than just coincidence," Takuya shot back, "Do you not remember Ophanimon telling us if we needed help to find one of those Legendary Tamers. She wasn't able to tell us much on them other than the fact there had been a time when other humans came into the Digital World for a very short period of time. It was so short that it wasn't even recorded in the history of the Digital World or written in the history of Nefertimon's library."

Takuya was bringing on a pretty big point which didn't surprise me, sure he was kind of a pinhead 90% of the time, but there were his rare moments where you found he was a completely different person. Completely serious and reliable, so if he was able to conjure up something like that – then it was about time I told him about Rika, "About the legendary tamers, you'll never guess what."

"What? You found one or something?" Takuya raised an eyebrow curious.

I nodded in return to see his hands thump the counter almost sending me flying from the sudden shocking sound.

"When! Who is it!" Takuya wildly questioned.

"W-well…to be honest I would have never believed it," I hesitantly let out scratching the back of my neck.

"Who?" the brunet inquisitively asked.

"It's Rika," I claimed quietly. I braced for a thrashing of arms and loud noises from Takuya's surprised expressions, but I was wrong.

"Well that would make more sense then," Takuya acknowledging scratching his chin.

"Huh?"

"Oh I had a hunch from when she first moved here."

"What do you mean?"

"That's right I haven't informed you yet," Takuya let out a chuckle while I was left puzzled.

"Well first day she moved into the neighbourhood, my family went to visit her home. At about that time my D-Tector went haywire and I knew something was up. It seemed to be reacting to her model of a Digivice and at the same time that a Digimon was on the loose. It was a DoruGreymon."

"What was an ultimate level doing in this part of town?" I asked, I had never even picked up any of this, not even gotten word about it.

"They usually appear in more abandoned and less populated areas is what I thought," Takuya began, "After accepting the shock reading the information off my D-Tector. I ran in the cloud of data, hoping the Digimon was still weakened from materialising in our world. I spirit evolved to Agunimon in no time only to sense the presence of a human and another Digimon nearby. I was able to rely on my senses to lead me before the person got in danger and before I realised it…I had Rika caught in my arms. She was completely out."

For the first being informed on this, I was being an attentive listener and asking questions that were racing through my thought, "Was Rika battling the Digimon on her own?"

"I thought she just happened to be a bystander and got attacked until I took down DoruGreymon its data absorbed into my Digivice. The fog disappeared and I saw another Digimon, I hadn't let my guard down just in case…but I felt some kind of aura coming off it. That it wasn't an enemy and had a link to Rika," Takuya concluded.

"Was that Digimon yellow, icy blue eyes, fox like?" the words rolled off my tongue. I was surprised about how interested I had become.

Takuya nodded, "I ended up dropping Rika and the Digimon in front of their home and left. Nobody saw me and I didn't see anyone else. How did you find out Rika was a tamer?"

"Well she actually confronted me; it was that night when we took on Diatrymon. I was leaving your house and she had a digivice in her hand looking surprised by the time she saw me."

"Odd," Takuya awed.

I merely shrug my shoulders and followed my story, "Well you can imagine what happened from there, I busted her, she still has yet to find out that I can spirit evolve so everything's cool."

"Remember Koji, keep spirit evolution secret unless it's a do or die matter. Ophanimon warned us about the possibilities of our unknown enemy being able to affect our loved ones and also the possibility of people shunning us out," Takuya reminded me of something I had heard many times over and over.

"I know, I know," I muttered hearing the kettle of boiling water begin to rumble and the indicator making a chink sound to show the water had boiled, "Let's just get the _tea _over to our parents."

Takuya sheepishly smiled and offered to fetch mugs out from the glass pantry above our heads.

"Idiot," I sighed before pulling out a few teabags.

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To be continued…

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**A/N: **This time I've indicated the POV. I hope it makes it easier, and this chapter was a few hundred words longer than my usual to make up for the long wait. You know how time just flies when you're busy, despite having Winter break at the moment. I have my other fanfiction as my main priority so updates with Front Line won't be as common as two week updates. Sorry to those having fun reading – reviews are always appreciated and boost to write stories faster.^^

About Yuriko and Satomi having known the Wild Bunch, some of you may have been shocked, but remember this is a fanfiction so things can go in whatever direction. I thought the photoshoot was quite a funny instalment – it'd be odd to see Koji as a model but hey anything's possible.

The main idea out of this chapter was to get the parents involved more, as far as Yuriko, Satomi and Hiroaki know they are the only ones who knew or had connection with the Wild Bunch. Yuriko and Satomi didn't really know each other back then but had met a few times, it was rather Satomi and Hiroaki were quite close back then. By the way I love making Satomi the type of adult who is a fangirl at heart, first with being a fan of Rumiko Nonaka and then an otaku of Digimon.


	6. Links and Friendship

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 6: Linking a Friendship**

**Jeri Katou**

Waking up shrouded with clouded thoughts that morning I hopped out of bed stroking my hand through my hair as I wandered out to the bedside window to absorb in the sun's rays. They were weak yet filled my body with the warmth in wanted in the moment leaving my blanket to walk the short distance to the window. I looked out on to the horizon beyond and imagined it was early in the morning. What time had I gotten up?

I raised my eyebrows and fluttered my eyes as I turned my head to see the analogue clock on the wall just hit the 6 with the long hand and the 8 with the small hand. Good time to get up I thought on a Saturday morning, it was also well into the second half of the first month of Spring and the weather was being wonderful in various ways. It had already been almost a whole month since Rika's crazy and heartbreaking farewell. Moreover feeling sympathetic for Takato, being turned down twice was never nice and – one I had been the fault of.

My head turned again to the sound of something rumbling outside or in a familiar case walking on the roof outside. I raced my head only to find a familiar purple little Imp. I smiled and he huffed with a defeat.

"Way to make a man lose his dignity," the purple Digimon grumbled hopping inside my room spontaneously.

"Impmon," I called, "Sorry about that, but how many times do I have to tell you?"

"Don't try and sneak up on me when I know you're already coming, yeah I got it covered toots," he mocked already knowing what was going to be foretold.

"If you know then why do you keep it up?" I laughed a little confused by the Digimon's actions. My eyes followed him round the room as he leaped and jumped on high up places trying to keep from not being bored, "Besides, don't you have a pair of Tamers waiting for you when they wake up. I'm sure they'll be worried if they don't see you beside them in the morning."

"Mako's strong without me, and Ai doesn't get up till later," Impmon joked, while I light-heartedly sighed and took a seat on my bed. Impmon seemed different today for some reason, he had a usual habit of pondering every few days or so to check up on how I was doing or to relieve boredom, but today was just different.

"So how are things Impmon?" I carried on the conversation.

He finally halted taking a stand on a book rest with his gloved red hands on his hips, "Same old, same old."

"I don't mean to sound rude Impmon, but is there a reason why you came over today then?" I pondered, I did not like remaining in my yellow floral pyjamas all day – it was a bad habit. I laughed at my own thoughts before being drawn back to reality as I heard a thumping noise hit the ground. It was Impmon and he was beginning to walk over suspiciously.

"You won't guess who I saw?" Impmon sounded excited.

"Who? Your mortal enemy?" I mocked lightly wanting to conclude this chat temporarily.

"As a matter of fact I did," Impmon mentioned cockily boasting about someone I never knew existed unless...

He furthered, "Guess who it was?"

"Renamon?"

"You ain't psychic are ya?" Impmon arched over mouth opened almost dragging against the floor.

"Nope not psychic, just a girl who uses her logic," I responded cheekily and then I remembered Rika again, "Was she with Rika at the time?"

Impmon disagreed and instead lit up a flame, "I ended up trying to challenge her to a duel like old times, but the babe just turned the other direction and pretended like I didn't even exist. You know how mad that makes me – the hottest Digimon on the block." He dispersed the flame and folded his arms.

"I'm sure Renamon wouldn't do something like that without a proper reason. Maybe just busy?" I simply suggested, Renamon wasn't a Digimon of words and hardly ever action, but when it came down to it she would never ignore a friend.

Impmon finally hopped back on the window seal the way he came in and signed off, "Cya toots!" before jumping into the distance and not to be seen again at least for another day.

That Digimon left me wondering to myself as I lay back down on my bed, no one had mentioned word of Rika or Renamon in awhile or not in a sense of positivity. The guys like Kazu and Kenta spread word about her in a negative fashion for leaving Takato in the mist like that, I found it very sad how things had spread out over the course of a month alone. I felt it might be a good time for another get together. I never used to go a day without seeing Rika and now I've let a month past without even an email or text message. My self-esteem dropped in a heartbeat, something needed to be done.

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Later that day after finishing minor chores around the house and my shift in the shop to manage while my dad went out to see a man about some shipment problems I was allowed to leave and visit the first person I thought would be the most understanding and most encouraging at a time like this, and one of the people I knew the longest. Make that two people, many people would pass by them thinking they were a bunch of nerds who never grew up out of their RPG fantasies and I can't say I disagree whole-heartedly, but they had earned my title of what a friend was and so I called the two to meet up with me at Shinjuku Park.

The scene was nostalgic as usual the fluffy green trees that were covered in flowers this time of year, the smell of freshly cut grass and pollinated air and a clear blue sky that had noon ringing all over it. I waited by the headless dinosaur statue in the centre of the park where I told two figures who had just arrived where to meet. The shorter one adjusting his glasses with one hand and in the other trying to keep a rioting MarineAngemon in place, while the taller boy beside him wearing a set of grey leggings with an oversized shirt with the image of a local baseball team printed on the front – you could easily tell he was a fan of the supposed team, this boy balancing his head enough so the metal helmet wearing Kapurimon could stay in place.

"Kazu! Kenta!" I exclaimed happy to see both of them, "You made it."

"Yeah we're here," Kazu cheered sarcastically.

I laughed absent-mindedly holding a hand up to my mouth to cover up. Kazu's eyes widened from the spontaneous reaction, I was generally friendly – but for some reason lately I had been finding myself laughing at the jokes of Kazu more often no matter how obnoxious they were. It still seemed to be a sight to behold to both Kazu and Kenta.

"So Jeri, why did you call us over?" Kenta interrupted the awkward moment. Thankyou...

"I'm mentioning from now, if this requires shopping I'm leaving," Kazu claimed leaning over with his hands on his waist as Kapurimon wobbled slightly but caught balance with his large, furry striped tail.

"No no, nothing like that," I responded, I figured Kazu would immediately be like this especially after tricking them the last time when I had Rika along on a shopping trip...Rika...the main reason why I called these two over.

"What is it then Katou? Time's a wasting," Kazu rushed. His blue eyes staring suspiciously at my own, I was beginning to grow nervous under interrogation mode.

"I need some advice," I confessed, both boys stared wide eyed disbelieving what they just heard, "How do the two of you feel going to visit Rika?"

Both their expressions dropped, Kazu turned his back on the two while Kenta replied with a face of obscurity and 'Do you really think it's a good idea?' facial.

"C'mon guys, it's been a month since we last saw her," I beckoned with them.

"And?" Kazu growled angrily, "Do you not see how she treated Takato at the end. He hasn't been the same since."

I didn't want to relive everything Takato had had to suffer with, it had been a week since things seemed to be improving, but with Kazu's words I felt the tension was brewing again – as Rika's best friend I felt it was my right to defend her, "I'm well aware of it, but at the same time she's still our close friend as well – and you know it. She's a fellow tamer."

"She never treated us like friends," Kazu rebutted, I could see the anger building in his eyes, "I put up with it for the past two years, but now – I'm not going to be the one to go up to her and say something."

"I never said it was going to be easy Kazu," I tried to calm him down, "I'm nervous about the thought as well, but the way I see it..." I paused taking in a breath and whimpering lightly, "I don't want to lose someone close again." Why was Kazu being so pig-headed about this?

"Jeri, don't start crying," Kenta ignorantly whined. My eyes flickered as tension brewed up within me.

"Hey dude, that ain't cool to say to someone who's about to cry," I overheard Kazu elbowing Kenta.

"Pipipi Pi!" MarineAngemon yelled up in the mist of it all to gather everyone's attention. I looked down at the guy, and so did the others and in a surprise he yelled out "Smiling Face!"

An overwhelming aura swept us in a happy fantasy before reality brought us down from our temporary relief and the three of us looked bewildered, cocking faces at the pink sea creature in Kenta's arms. MarineAngemon waved his hands and smiled laughing trying to distract us.

"MarineAngemon?" Kenta gawked.

"What just happened?" Kazu questioned shaking his face in confusion.

"I have no idea," I responded...I seemed to have forgotten everything that the three of us were just discussing. Any emotion I had felt previously had been washed away magically.

"Kapurimon?" Kazu inquired.

"MarineAngemon used his attack Smiling Face," Kapurimon informed. As all three of us humans awed in tune – this hadn't been the first time the little guy had used the attack on us. He probably did it for our own being, but for what reason I had forgotten. My brain was arguing with my heart for some reason, what was it. I was beginning to feel like that the three of us had hit an argument.

Maybe retracing my actions might help...I remembered chatting with Impmon this morning feeling a little odd afterwards. What was the reason for that feeling – Impmon had seen Renamon? What did that have to do with me gathering with Kazu and Kenta. I bit my bottom lip being rattled with confusion and not liking it one bit.

"Kazu? Kenta?" I finally forced out.

The two slightly jumped from being questioned.

"Why are we here?" I asked puzzled.

The two boys looked at each other even more confused rotating their heads in all different directions trying to find a hint or clue to why the three of us were gathered until Kazu thought of a brilliant idea by asking Kapurimon. I still felt sad for the poor guy after what had happened; it had also been during the time of Takato's depression. Rika's departure had set off a fuse of negativity in everyone – it was as if all her negativity had been absorbed by everyone as a hateful memento. Shaking my head I finally remembered why we were all gathered here, specifically why I had called up Kazu and Kenta.

"Kapurimon, do you mind telling us what we were talking about?" Kazu inquired raising his eyebrows in question.

"I remember now!" I exclaimed hopefully sidetracking what Kapurimon was going to say, I didn't want to relapse my tension but rather start fresh and re-explain everything in a calm fashion. I thanked MarineAngemon for that unintentional second chance...I can only sympathise for Rika and how she possibly would have loved a second chance like that before saying something stupid to her close friends.

"Remember what?" Kenta replied.

"We were just about to plan how we were going to see Rika by giving her a surprise visit," I playfully lied, hoping my new plan would work. Is this what they called brainwashing? I felt almost guilty at the idea but laughed it off guiltily when Kazu and Kenta offered me suspicious looks once again.

"I'd never agree to visiting Rika after what happened," Kazu identified confronting me.

I never knew a child to hold so much hate against another. Besides he wasn't even the victim of the "runaway confession" incident. I sighed and fell defeat to my own plan, lying would only make things worse in the end.

"Sorry, but what I wanted to say was, it's been almost a month since we last saw Rika. And everyone has been a mess since then, you could only imagine how she could be feeling all alone right?" I expressed.

Kazu pouted furiously crossing his arms, while Kenta looked down at the ground in frustration. My words weren't reaching either of them.

The brunet spoke up, "Jeri."

"Kazu, I understand if you don't want to..." I expressed, fair enough I didn't want to force anyone to do something they didn't want to do.

"It's just not going to be so easy to forget something like that especially when Takato's a close mate of mine," Kazu explained, I understood I wasn't happy either the way things were left. But it was always better to be the bigger person – and also Rika doesn't seem to usually be the type to make the first move when she was stubborn.

"I feel the same way, but I don't want to lose a good friend in the process, you understand me right?" I pestered Kazu; he seemed to be the harder one to crack when it came to these two guys. Kenta was usually the follower and his thoughts were usually influenced with what Kazu chose – though I'd never have the guts to tell him that.

"Jeri if she's such a good friend, where was Rika when Triceromon attacked South Shinjuku. There were dozens of severely injured people who had nothing to do with Digimon. When we tried contacting her after we needed backup, her phone would switch to voicemail. And one of those injured was Guardromon...he hasn't been able to evolve back since," Kazu ranted, and each sentence stung me like a bee.

"I'm sorry Kazu," I was stupid to thing these two could help out, those tears were striking back up again. Why were they? We had faced so much worse in the past; the D-Reaper, Leomon's death, my mother's death...why now? In front of Kazu I'm crying. The tears flushed down my face like no tomorrow, it had been the first time in such a long time I thought the tears in my ducts would have dried up. I was wrong.

"Jeri..." Kazu paused hearing my sobbing.

I stepped back seeing Kazu's hand reach out for me, one step became several and then a spin as my walk became a fast paced jog running away from those two. Emotions were leading me, I'd never normally feel like this. Where was Leomon when I needed some comfort?

"Leomon!" I mentally yelled.

I had not felt this desperate in ages; going from asking a simple request of Kazu and Kenta, and now I'm drowning from my own tears running endlessly into a crowd filled with unknown consumers bustling away in the shopping streets of West Shinjuku. I was sure Kazu and Kenta had already decided to leave me be and continue whatever I had interrupted there day from.

My feet finally slowed down due to a layer of tiredness overwhelming my legs, I wasn't someone built for endurance so I decided to take a seat on a wooden bus seat. The street I had dwindled on was a familiar one filled with the occasional consumer but not as active and flamboyant as the ones I was running about, there were a few closed down stores in my view across the road and a Ramen store. I smiled for some reason at it distracting me from my real tears.

I placed a hand against my face and sighed at how silly and childish I had just acted. Even with MarineAngemon's second chance I screwed even worse than the first time. I guess it had to have been hard for Kazu to get over what had happened to Guardromon. Triceramon was a difficult opponent...

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Henry and Kazu ploughed twenty feet through the air horizontally as the scaly, green, powerful tail of Triceramon slammed into Rapidmon and Guardromon after trying to protect their tamers from the blow but ended up causing a wider range for the Tamers to be hurdled through the air. Luckily MarineAngemon and Kenta had jogged up to the situation in time after being called by Jeri for back up to handle the strong Dinosaur Digimon.

MarineAngemon had used an attack to hold off the pressure of the collision between the brick wall of a hotel building and the possible breakage of human spinal cords. Kazu and Henry took a moment to record their surroundings and have their eyesight adjust to normal with the vision of Kenta and Jeri running up to them.

Henry was first to be picked up by Kenta while Jeri offered a hand to Kazu who shook it off and stood on his own with a slight limp. The two near death boys thanked Kenta and MarineAngemon before heading back down the road and taking lead by checking on their partner's condition. Henry sighed having Rapidmon still in his ultimate form and reassuring he was okay with a tired "Momuntai". Henry smiled out of nostalgia and supported the large rabbit with a push up from his back and helping the Digimon back on to his feet.

"Are you sure you're alright to go in again Rapidmon?" Henry inquired.

"As ready as you are!" Rapidmon assured, as the fuel in his jets rumbled and a second later was taking to the skies after the large edition of Triceramon.

Henry seeing the rabbit Digimon fly off into the distance he checked the states of his friends. His eyes widened when he saw all three friends crouching over what was once the large rookie Guardromon now a furry heat with a metal spiky helmet. Eyes closed, Kazu grabbed the little guy in his arms with a face of confusion. This had been the first time he'd seen his partner take this form.

"Kazu, are you alright?" Jeri pondered, obviously knowing he wasn't.

He didn't respond, his mouth quivering, his tongue running try and hands tensing as he squeezed the Digimon in his hands tighter. Jeri instead placed an arm on his shoulder keeping a certain distance but offering the comfort that came with the assurance of being a friend.

Kenta looked to the side of him to see MarineAngemon saddened and Henry looking down at his own feet. While Rapidmon had gone unscathed from Triceramon's Tail Slam attack other than a few grazes from skidding across the road, Guardromon must have taken a full blow being only at Rookie level now decreased to his In-training form of Kapurimon. This had been the second time the group had seen this form.

"Kazu," Henry muffled, "I'm sorry, but I have to go after Rapidmon and see how the battle is holding out."

The brunet did not even budge only falling to his knees in the process. Kenta whaled an exasperated sigh before following after Henry in having to take down the bigger worry here.

"Kazu, everything will be alright, Jeri take care of Kazu for now," Kenta authorised before tailing after MarineAngemon.

Jeri nodded affirming her current position, but also felt nervous not being responded to whenever she tried to offer comfort. She ended up taking a seat beside him and waited until the sound of Kapurimon in Kazu's arms snapped the two out of their silence and muffled a few words that weren't so clear due to Kazu's arms being wrapped around the creature. Kazu released the tension in his arms as Kapurimon's voice cleared up.

"Kazu, I'm technically still alive. The rate the battle is going at we will need more recruitment," Kapurimon informed.

"Kapurimon..." Kazu blinked in confusion, "Henry and Kenta are taking care of Triceramon so it's alright."

"No they are not," Kapurimon disagreed, "My scans of Triceramon before I was hit made predictions that we would need at least another ultimate Digimon to help out to manage in power."

"Kapurimon you need to rest," Jeri suggested, just before Kazu snapped.

"You shouldn't have taken that scan!" Kazu exclaimed.

"Kazu..." Jeri sighed.

"If you didn't take that scan you wouldn't have devolved and been distracted!" Kazu flipped.

"Kazu, I think you need to calm down," Jeri heartened feeling the tension heat up.

"I apologise Kazu," Kapurimon saddened and Kazu's emotions flipped again turning into a wave melancholy.

"Jeri's right, I need to calm down and take a breath," Kazu sighed inhaling and exhaling. Jeri smiled at his actions, but then at the same time faltered after remembering Kapurimon's information on needing another ultimate for backup.

"Wait, what about Kenta and Henry?" Kazu jumped at the words, securing one hand around Kapurimon and his other hand gripping Jeri's hand as they ran forward. Jeri slightly flustered at the immediate reaction but was heavily distracted when the ground underneath them rumbled. On the footpath ahead they saw Rapidmon crash down to the ground again before devolving to Galgomon with all the strength that remained in the creature.

"Oh no," Jeri exclaimed, "Guardromon was right, Triceramon is too strong."

Kazu immediately took action pulling out his cell phone and dialling the first number that he thought would have been appropriate. WarGrowlmon would easily be able to take down the beast tagged along with Rapidmon, but when the phone immediately disconnected Kazu grew cranky cursing lightly as he brought the phone down and scrolled down the contact menu for a contact that would be of use. It came down to the names under "R".

"Rika" was the first name in sight as he hesitated to press the green telephone button.

"What's wrong Kazu?" Jeri inquired, "Who did you call?"

"Takato didn't pick up," Jeri saddened at the reason behind it, while hoping for there to be a sign to call someone when the idea was brought on, "How about Rika?"

Kazu moaned not wanting to, but knowing it was the only option they had right now, "Alright" he grumbled.

Time ticked away as Kazu held the dialled number in his phone against his ear waiting for a response, but the dialling was cut off right away with a disconnection label to it. Kazu's eyes widened and then he cursed even harder at the thought Rika had let them down twice. He knew it was wrong to think like that, but his arrogant mind got the better as he closed his phone.

"Rika's not picking up," Kazu alerted, "Figures."

Jeri's eyebrows knit in worry, she knew Kazu always assessed things from the outside, but this was a new low and she didn't like it. Rika had bullied him and Kenta in the past but that was out of a friendship tease – she shared that kind of relationship with Impmon. Then the thought occurred, "We could use Impmon."

"Smart thinking Jeri," Kazu commented, "But how are we going to contact him when he's not even around here."

"How shameful of you people! Doubt me for a second, maybe I should reconsider saving you guys..." an extremely familiar rowdy voice echoed through their minds. Jeri, Kazu and Kapurimon all turned to face the humanoid Digimon leaping off a tree and landing on a living Motorcycle which emerged through the bushes on the other side of the road startling all three.

"Beelzebumon!" The three called in unison, smiles growing on their faces while Beelzebumon merely gave a shrug of his shoulders pulling out a pistol and driving down the road offering a smirk assuring he'd put a stop to things.

1010101010101010101010

I smiled as I remembered Beelzebumon's triumph. It had been a shame both Rika and Takato were able to pick up, but now that I dwindled in the past I realised Kazu had been taking things inappropriately – Takato was just at fault at Rika in the Triceramon situation. Luckily there were no casualties that day, but a large news report had been commended later that night. It had been the first Digimon attack in public sighting in over a year which made the group of Tamers extra wary.

Stretching my legs and feeling the air of Spring spike up my senses I was left smiling yet again, my tears by now had evaporated and as I was just about to get up to at least apologise to the boys or see if they were still at the park, something caught my eyes. It would have been impossible to miss. There were no civilians in the current street except for one creature; presumably a Digimon – but the silhouette could pass off as an oversized male had landed in an alleyway dropping from the sky as it was engulfed in streams of blue light before it shrinking down to the size of a teenage boy.

I wasn't able to make a clear image of who it was, but it was certainly a human in the last remnants I saw of it. The being seemed to run off into the darkness of the alleyway turning to the right at the end of the alleyway. I was shocked to say the least. I had never seen blue digital lights like that, they were in a way alluring. But they seemed Digital enough, taken the circumstance what else could provide lighting like that off a person.

Kazu and Kenta certainly need to hear about this...a possible link to the new source of Digimon invading the human world. My thoughts encouraged me as I took off the way that I arrived.

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To be continued…

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**A/ N:** What has it been a month already, well I'm a bit bad for not updating...sorry guys. I still haven't recieved my normal laptop back yet, and won't be getting it back at least until another three weeks. I'm usually more comfortable writing fanfics on it, it feels weird on a computer for some reason. But either way I managed to force myself to write the next chapter for Front Line after leaving it hang off for awhile. Once again sorry all to the readers who are still willing to read it. I really appreciate all the reviews.^^

About this chapter, I wanted to start giving a view of the Tamers crew and what their thoughts about Rika's farewell were. We don't get a full insight about everyone and especially Takato - but that is due to appear infuture chapters. Just building up suspense is what they call it right. If you haven't noticed this chapter was slight hinting towards Kazu and Jeri, and that was not planned. Everytime I wrote something with the characters it featured those two together or bouncing off each others emotions more. I'm sorry if some feel out of character - I tried to get them as accurate as possible but it's a little difficult when you haven't watched the english dub in over 8 years and only watched the english sub of recently.

Any questions don't be afraid to leave in the review, and I'll try my best getting a chapter in before another month. Read and review.:)


	7. The Mystery Gang

**Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, rightful ownership belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Bandai, and Toei.**

**Front Line**

**Chapter 7: The Mystery Gang**

**Kazu Shioda**

"So this is what it feels like to make a girl cry," I sighed as my feet shuffled across the dusty cemented footpath dragging a small rock that was crumbling with every push. The rock shattered into tiny pieces before I lost my concentration and absurdly yelled at the sky releasing or my anger and frustrations towards it. It felt extremely good to do that, it relieved the guilty conscious that I carried temporarily.

A few seconds later I was back to shuffling my feet, Kapurimon still hanging around my neck sleeping soundly –multitasking. I had made tonnes of girls cry in the past due to my arrogance, but this set a new level for me. Firstly Jeri being a good friend having taken my arrogance on first hand previously many times, why now did she choose to cry?

A moan lingered from my throat as my eyes scattered to the city ahead. I had hesitantly followed after Jeri the whole time leaving Kenta and MarineAngemon behind. Kenta had insisted that it was my duty as the one who made her cry to make things right. We had certainly debated, and I even suggested the both of us apologised but somehow...somehow Kenta saw through it and consulted it would be best for me. I had to agree it seemed that when I spoke she broke out into tears.

Arrggghhhh...girls are so hard to read. At least Kapurimon is asleep for now; I wouldn't want any interruptions during my apology. Now I just had to overcome the not wanting to apologise part and actually think of something smart to say without losing my cool. I had been thinking it over many times already, but each attempt sounded like a failure in my mind.

"Jeri..." I murmured. I felt movement around my neck and realised Kapurimon was beginning to wake up. I came my eyes focused on the road ahead but spoke to my buddy, "You finally awake Kapurimon."

"Good morning Kazu," the Digimon said hazily.

"Good afternoon Kapurimon," I corrected, "It's only been about an hour since you fell asleep."

"I am sorry about my miscalculation," Kapurimon apologised.

"You can't get the time of day right, but you're able to use big words," I tried calculating things for myself. I laughed at the thought, but had to resist it out loud when my feet stopped just before a collision. I hadn't realised who I had almost collided with in the minor instant I was distracted.

"Mr. Mitsuo and Ms. Ootori," I gasped seeing the woman's hand forcing a link within the man's black sleeved arm.

"Boy who I know, but name escapes me," Yamaki was first to greet, as my head flexed to get a good view of both adults, the blonde bowed his head in respect while there was a scowl on the women beside him...Riley was it.

Assuming it was Riley, she struck out her left hand confidently maneuvering her fingers trying to flash the expensive looking gold ring. I sheepishly laughed wondering what she was trying to emphasise until she spoke up, "And remember I'm Mrs. Ootori from now on."

"Ohh, I forgot the two of you ended up sharing last names," I bluntly grasped laughing innocently with my hands on my hips.

Riley merely face palmed at my action and then looked over Yamaki who had been awkwardly silent. His face was utterly still with the slightest twitch under his left eye – he was clearly not wearing his proclaimed sunglasses tonight.

"That is kind of the point of be becoming his fiancé," Riley sighed.

"You do have a choice if you want to keep your last name or not, I know for sure when that day comes I'll be sticking with Shioda!" I honoured my last name not wanting it to be lost amongst other families in the future years.

"You're too young to be thinking about marriage anyway," Riley advised, "Besides whoever you marry your last name will remain the same. You are the guy."

I flushed from embarrassment, raising my voice, "Of course I am!"

Riley offered a conquered grin to my scowling face before Yamaki joined the conversation, "We're going to be late for our reservation if we don't hurry up."

"Well I was heading off somewhere just now as well," I replied not totally a lie, I had to catch up with Jeri.

"Okay we'll let you be to it then erm...," Yamaki paused.

"It's Kazu," I muttered about to scurry off into the sun setting afternoon when a very familiar voice rang all three of our minds.

"Kazu!"

All three heads turned to the source, it sounded like Jeri. It was Jeri.

"Katou!" I called out before my senses overwhelmed me and I pulled back. My hands withdrew from the exclaiming action they did just before.

Jeri slowed down into a walk and her face softened at my sight, had she forgiven me. Even if so, I could not forgive myself, at least not right away. Why had her face alone forced me to crumble under pressure – I was arrogant I made people crumble under my magnificent presence. I scowled and let out a low grumble noticing Riley and Yamaki raised their eyebrows in confusion.

"Kazu, there's something important I have to tell you," Jeri alerted before realising Yamaki and Riley's presence therefore casually bowing in respect.

The four of us under a flickering lamp beside a closing down convenience store embarked the scenery of the destiny that awaited us. Kapurimon was observing from behind my neck sending a slight tingling feeling through my spine as his furry tail brushed it. I decided to pick the guy off from my neck and hold him in my hands; I thought it'd be more convenient for the both of us. My neck was beginning to feel a little stiff as well. Stretching it out before Jeri continued her tale.

"Mr and Mrs. Mitsuo," Jeri commended while Riley offered another winning grin at me which I merely snuffed at, "I didn't expect to bump into the two of you as well, but it's important now that you are. I saw something suspicious."

"What exactly?" Yamaki inquired his voice deepening.

"I had taken a seat further down at the bus stop and was disturbed when a creature jumped into the alleyway in front of me, engulfed itself in blue light and then ran off. It strongly resembled a human as it tried to run away."

"Another Digimon?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, it looked like a Digimon at first and then when I saw the blue light it looked human," Jeri confirmed.

"A Digimon becoming a human?" I pursued in questions.

"Possibly a Digimon digivolving to a humanoid based Digimon, there are many that are quite close to resembling a human," Riley suggested.

Jeri waved her head in denial, "No I can assure you it was definitely a human at the end."

"How long ago did you see this person?" Yamaki requested his hands tensing amongst the new information.

"It took me about ten minutes to run back this way," Jeri responded, "The thing could still probably be around the area."

"It would have been long gone by now then especially if you said it was running," Riley assumed, Jeri's head lowered in disbelief. I pondered on the thought, if something Digital was on the loose it wouldn't be safe for anyone in the area and I was the only one currently with a Digimon on hand – not entirely strong but could offer in the least a little bit of protection if we were to bump into it.

"Jeri I'll look for the thing with you," I offered and her eyes lighting up with so much joyful emotion. I couldn't help but offer a genuine smile.

"What if this creature is dangerous, as an adult I can't let two kids running around at night looking for a supposed monster?" Riley mothered.

"I've got Kapurimon with me," I reassured.

"At his weak level there is no way he could defend against an enemy," Yamaki informed, relying on his knowledge of Digimon to countermeasure the possible threat, "Like Riley, I won't let the two of you run around at night unsupervised."

"You two maybe married, but you aren't our parents," I jerked, my hands tightening around my Digimon knowing he had taken offense at Yamaki's statement, "Let's go Jeri," my voice angered.

"It's dangerous," Yamaki firmly stated.

"Either way we have to walk back home," Jeri tried to side an opinion that wouldn't cause an unnecessary argument. There I went again, my loud mouth making her upset again...my mouth opened and closed several times wanting to say aloud something inappropriate but feeling Jeri's soft hands hold my own my mind calmed down returning to its senses.

"Jeri," I murmured.

I turned back to the pair of adults, only to see them giving each other faces that could only show the level of the level relationship they shared syncing minds without the need of vocalisation. Yamaki stared back down at Jeri and I before the both of us gulped.

"If we take my car, we might be able to catch this thing," Yamaki suggested.

"I told you we're going!" my mouth exclaimed on its own, before I just realised what had happened, "Wait, what?"

Yamaki chuckled, Jeri giggled and Riley sighed helplessly.

"We're cashing in our reservation to help you guys find this thing," Riley explained, separating herself from her husband and folding her arms. Her royal blue evening dress was creasing under the pressure.

Now just realising the circumstance could only imagine my face looking dumbfounded to everyone, how was I supposed to respond. Two adults I hardly ever spoke with were offering to help Jeri and I – something was up right?

"You can't be doing this out of the bottom of your hearts, there has to be a catch," I jerked an eyebrow while the two adults raised their eyebrows with offense.

"And you don't believe we can be nice," Riley was becoming slightly ticked arching over me. My face furrowed at her slightly aging and foundation covered face, I was not backing down.

"Fair enough, Yamaki had a change of heart – but you always find ways of blackmail later on," I identified, it had happened a couple times in the past year whenever I had bumped into her. One time being when I accidentally mistook her tweezers for being something used for dissecting and took apart an insect which covered it in guts and resulted in me having to buy her a new pair. And having to go the extra mile to the mall just to buy them earning stares from strange women in the beauty aisle – I suffered humiliation to an extent that can't ever be forgotten.

"Excuse me," Riley jerked.

"I am not going to trust you so easily," I informed earning a worried glare from Jeri. Her hand let go of mine and lightly on her chest.

"C'mon Yamaki, we still have time to hit the restaurant," Riley mentioned earning the biggest death glare from me.

"Are you falling to the hands of a child Riley?" Yamaki hesitated pulling Riley into his arms and staring at her with deep passion – this was a rare sight, "That's not the level headed person I know."

Riley pouted, "At least make the brat apologise."

"Brat! Excuse me! No way in hell am I apologising."

"Kazu!" Jeri yelled unexpectedly. Her high voice rang through each of our ears and somehow unwillingly I bowed my head and apologised mumbling.

"Say it louder Kazu, I didn't hear it," Jeri ordered, where was this authority coming from.

"No!" I refrained.

"Kazu..." Jeri lingered.

"Sheesh," I whinged like a child, was with it and women always having to get their way, "Sorry old lady."

"That's bet- hey wait! Old Lady! Who are you calling old lady you brat!" Riley snapped and I chuckled earning an elbow in my gut by Jeri.

"What was that for?" I questioned, massaging my gut to reduce the pain. Who knew Jeri could be so tough.

Despite my question Jeri didn't reply but gave me a steady glare. I was officially afraid, this was the first time a women was taking authority other than Rika countless times, Rika was the excuse for everything. Wait...was Jeri doing this on purpose? I shook my head, she couldn't be.

Yamaki stomped his foot and took authority as the man he was, "Would the lot of you quit your arguing, the longer we linger around, the longer it'll take us to catch up that Digital entity?"

"Fine" both myself and Riley barked.

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Hopping out of Yamaki's newly bought black Honda Civic, which I must admit was impressed by I was a little annoyed due to the fact he parked the car as close to public eye and yet out of harm's way to not damage the car according to Jeri's instructions. The road was simply the next over and only took ten minutes to be able to travel right round since the road felt almost endless.

"Thanks for the ride Mr. Mitsuo," Jeri expectedly acknowledged. Yamaki waved his hand in gratitude and gave me a disbelieving look as if I should have mentioned something to, but what these two adults had to realise was that I was wasn't anything like Jeri. I was arrogant and darn proud of it.

Being ushered by Jeri into an alley way that seemed vaguely familiar, I recounted it as a time I had used as a getaway after being kicked out of a grocery. Good times. The alley was empty, a few water puddles in the ground reflecting light from the flickering street lamp ahead and the mixture of orange hues swarming the sky as the sun was setting. A dumpster half open against a barren brick wall that seemed untouched for years and in need of a cleaning. A corporate logo on the dumpster faded, and an unpleasant smell filling up our nostrils. I held my fingers together around my nose to try block the smell out as much as I could.

I was behind Jeri before she turned around as if struck with an idea, she grabbed my hand and tailed out of the alleyway further down the street which was going downhill so the speed picked up. What was she chasing after, and why couldn't she do it without clinging to me. Yamaki and Riley barely a few feet behind trying to dodge past people walking in the street and other objects, Jeri finally halted and I skidded to a stop, the adults following.

Regaining composure as well as air into my lungs, I asked, "Jeri? Where the heck did you run to so instantly?"

Something I had missed perhaps as she pulled out a chocolate wrapper from her pocket and then bent over picking up a similar one in her left hand. A strong smile planted on her face, assured about something she spoke up, "That thing came this way."

"Your serious?"

"Yep"

"How do you know?"

"This chocolate wrapper I picked up back at the alleyway in the exact same spot in front of the dumpster in view of the bus stop at where I was seated at. This wrapper also links up with the one we found just now," Jeri seemed completely confident about this theory.

By now Mr. Mitsuo and his annoying wife and caught up, his wife clinging on to him and Yamaki inspecting the situation. He arched over to get a good look at the wrappers in Jeri's hands. He had most likely heard her theory and in a few seconds he stood back upright and folded his arms. An uncertain smirk and a raised eyebrow I couldn't read through his face. Was he believing Jeri's theory or thinking she was a total idiot and had sent them on a wild goose chase.

"So do you think this could lead on to something?" I asked, wanting to stop this unbarring silence of thoughts.

A moan came from Yamaki while Riley rolled her eyes and Jeri lowered her head and tensed her eyebrows, were they ignoring me?

"Did any of you hear me?" I ranted.

"We heard you," Riley grunted increasing the tension between us. Seriously what was her problem; she couldn't have said it with a nicer tone. I folded my arms in response.

"Jeri? Mr. Mitsuo?" I pestered further, laughing at the fact Riley felt ignored.

"Mr. Mitsuo, maybe if we keep running along this footpath, we may come across another clue or even the culprit itself," Jeri optimistically suggested. I slapped my forehead; we were not the Mystery Gang, but the thought ran through me playing on character roles. Yamaki was a good lead for Fred, Riley the annoying Daphne, Jeri as mystery solver Velma, Kapurimon as Scooby and I as Shaggy...on second though scratch that. We were getting nowhere being optimistic about this.

"It wouldn't hurt," Yamaki pondered lowering his arms to his side and taking the wrapper out of Jeri's hands gently. He analysed it before speaking up, "Or we could just take this back to Hypnos, get it analysed for any digital traces or finger prints for that matter and save ourselves a bunch of time looking around this place."

Riley agreed to his idea, while Jeri saddened, I feel she enjoyed the partially bonding time the four of us were receiving along with the hype of trying to solve a 'not so much mystery' mystery.

"Can we even be positive this wrapper was left behind by what you saw Jeri?" my mind finally thought for a bit as I questioned. Jeri doubted herself for a moment before shaking her head and denying I even said anything. This was beginning to get annoying – everything I was saying was being rejected or ignored as if my words didn't even matter. I snuffed hot air at myself.

I could have sworn Riley eyeing me through the corner of my eyes, but I didn't further hesitate the paranoia as I took the other half of the wrapper from Jeri and gave it a look for myself. Looking at the light and silver design reflecting in the lamp mosquito infested light above us. A silver line ran through the front of the wrapper with the logo printed downwards reading 'Yama-Yummy'. This label gave me a chill, as I remembered the chocolate name from a few years back.

It had been a chocolate that I used to be extremely fond off, the flavours ranging from white to dark chocolate and milk always being my favourite. The company was owned by a medium sized factory in Shibuya, and the only time I had ever tasted it was when I got the chance on an elementary school excursion to tour the factory. It was like heaven to a child in the 4th year.

"I recognise this wrapper," I alerted, this time actually attracting everyone's attention.

"And..." Riley lingered, which only extended the pause for my explanation.

"The company is owned by the Shibayama's," I stated, remembering the welcoming aging couple who gave us free samples of their great chocolate on that school trip.

"Is this information helping us?" Riley angered; I had it up to the top with her annoying nagging tone. I may have been exaggerating her annoyance, but it was something I couldn't take anymore.

"The Shibayama's are known for their chocolate factory, which is all the way in Shibuya. Their products are only sold in the Shibuya District, meaning our culprit had to have travelled a fair distance to find this wrapper in West Shinjuku," I blurted, my mind not holding back, "So either this thing is really athletic walking a good hour away from the Train Station, or had a Digimon to ride on to get here."

"What if it took the bus?" Riley suggested.

"Jeri was sitting at the bus seat, there was no bus at the time," I replied.

"But that doesn't explain where the Digimon comes in, Jeri only stated she saw one thing being engulfed in light and then running away," Yamaki contemplated.

"Hmmm..." I thought a bit and came to a reasonable conclusion, "What if she missed it, I mean the Digimon could have returned to a smaller size, hidden in a bag and acted as if the Digimon wasn't even there to begin with. Jeri did say she saw a Digital Light."

"Wow, Kazu I'm extremely surprised," Jeri praised, this helped my angered mood lighten up a little. I responded with a crooked grin and a chuckle. She only smiled in return.

"I have my moments you know," I stated cockily, Riley rolling her eyes and Yamaki looking as if he wanted to just leave.

"There are possibilities for other children to become Tamers, I mean you and Kenta both got one," Riley concluded poking my tongue at her in return. While Jeri and Yamaki both laughed. What children!

"How about we conclude the search for the night, it's getting late and well around 7pm by now. Your parents are bound to start growing anxious for the two of you to return home before Dinner," Yamaki suggested and then offered, "I'll drive the two of you back home and then tomorrow morning, come round Hypnos for the results of the chocolate wrapper. Does that make everyone happy?"

I pondered on the thought a bit before finding it more useful to be driven home than having to walk several blocks at night back to my parent's apartment building. And I'm sure Jeri would be on the same track once she gave up sulking on the mystery idea.

"Okay," Jeri and I confirmed before walking back the way we came to Yamaki's car. He sure loved to show it off.

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A quarter moon had hit the midnight blue sky in its centre of the busy intersection that crossed over to many shops which remained open for late night brewers on this fine night. Fine trees grown, blooming and trimmed perfectly along the footpath swayed in the breeze as many humans, mostly adults walked about getting to their destinations while shivering in the process never expecting the sudden chill of this Spring night. Off the intersection, down the main road was a popular shopping boulevard which ran underground, lighted the entire hall way, shops running along both sides yet the area was inactive.

Only the occasional person taking the shortcut through the quiet area, one young partially overweight boy turned into the boulevard limping on one leg and a body sore to its very core. His breathing going off beat with every step as he struggled. To a regular passerby not offering a minute help he seemed to be a late night teenager avoiding his curfew, but on closer inspection the lad was suffering with high amounts of pain.

Coming to a stop in the centre of the boulevard in clear sight of an owner of a Hairdresser Boutique, the pretty lady glanced over her counter curious to the boy's actions and with no customers just watched. Her eyes widened with surprise at the auburn haired boy as it took him milliseconds to plummet to the ground with a loud echoing thud. Things seemed to stop in a heartbeat as her hand automatically slipped into her apron pocket. Dialling the code for immediate ambulance service and then racing out of her shop to the victim.

She struggled to roll him over on his side and with first aid knowledge supporting her actions she opens his mouth and checked his air passage ways. There was a clear irregular pattern of his chest falling and rising, she grew panicked – trying to remain calm as a few other workers with nothing better to do came outside to witness what the alert was about.

One old man cared to ask, "Is the lad alive?"

The young hairdresser nodded and responded, "He still seems to be breathing. But I'm not how sure he can hold on. I already called for an ambulance."

"Does anyone know who this boy belongs to?" Some bitter old women questioned, clearly not wanting to take any responsibility for what had happened.

The caring hairdresser shook her head in disagreement shoving her chocolate coloured bangs back under her puffy pink beret. This boy slightly reminded her of her son, but surely was not him. She prayed the young boy made it through.

Several minutes later the paramedics arrived and did what they had to do, first checking for vital signs, a gum check, an eye check, if his airways were working or not. Once everything was cleared up, the paramedics assured he would be fine, but still needed to be taken to the hospital in case of anything they missed. In the process of being carried in the stretcher to the back of the ambulance, a paramedic not attending to the boy had pulled out an identification card from his wallet and spoke under his breath.

"Shibayama Junpei. Male. 14. 8th Year, Shibuya Middle School."

The lady who had helped the boy in need overheard the details and could only have hoped the parents of this boy were alerted, her eyes not falling off the boy now in the ambulance.

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To be continued…

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**A/N: **First I hope anyone reading this new chapter, enjoyed it. The Tamers characters are more challenging for me to write than the Frontier crew since I'm more familiar with them. We get the insight of more characters, I hope they don't seem too OOC, especially Yamaki and Riley – I tried my best imagining their personalities, reactions and reunions to one another.

All these streets, shops and whatever are made up, especially the chocolate company, I'm sure the clues were given away unless you are not familiar with the last names of the Frontier crew. Shibayama should be a big giveaway for who the runaway culprit was along with the Identification at the end.

Any questions, suggestions, feedback or wanting to drop by and say hi – don't be afraid to leave a review then. Until to the next chapter I say goodbye.


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